Narnians and Nightmares
by fanwriter1245
Summary: Part 3 of 3. Edmund, Eva, and Lucy are once again whisked away to Narnia with Eustace and their friend Elizabeth. Elizabeth quickly catches Caspian's eye, but circumstances from her past may keep her from feeling the same way. As they all journey to various islands, they must face their darkest fears and defeat the evil that is threatening to destroy Narnia. EdmundxOC CaspianxOC
1. The Painting

"Are you sure you're eighteen?" the intake officer asked, looking up at Edmund skeptically.

"Why? Do I look older?" Edmund said with complete seriousness.

The officer held out his hand, and Edmund handed him his National Registration Identity Card. The officer was not amused when he saw the name inside. "Alberta Scrubb?"

"That's a typographical error. It's supposed to be Albert A. Scrubb."

"Edmund."

Edmund spun around at the sound of his name. He found Lucy and his girlfriend standing near the entrance with bags and boxes in their hands.

"You're supposed to be helping Eva and I with the groceries," Lucy said.

The two men in line behind Edmund started laughing. "Better luck next time, eh, squirt?" one of them laughed as he rubbed Edmund's head.

Eva smiled pitifully at him and took his hand as they left the building.

"Squirt?" Edmund furiously demanded as they exited. "He barely had two years on me! I'm a king. I've fought wars and I've led armies."

"Not in this world," Lucy told him as they loaded up the groceries into the baskets on their bicycles.

"Yeah, instead I'm stuck here, doing battle with Eustace Clarence Scrubb. If anyone so deserved a name."

Lucy looked over, and then slowly tucked her hair behind her ear.

"What are you doing?" Edmund asked.

Lucy quickly turned to Eva and Edmund. "Nothing. Come on then."

Eva turned to where Lucy had been looking and saw a beautiful young woman talking with a soldier. Eva smiled a little. Lucy was at that age where she was trying to become like the young women they saw every day. And now the young girl desired to have a boyfriend like she did.

It had been nearly two years since they had all been in Narnia. Peter and Elaine had since gone back to stay with the Professor. Peter was studying with him while Elaine worked to help the war effort. Susan had gone with their parents to America to start making a name for herself and become a young woman in society. Meanwhile, Lucy and Edmund were living with their aunt and uncle and cousin for the time being. Eva had moved into a house nearby that was taking in children who were away from home, but she was over at their house more than she was at her own. Her and Edmund's relationship was still going strong even after all the time that had passed. She had since learned of every single detail that had happened on their adventure to Narnia the first time, and to be honest, it still weirded her out that Edmund had lived to be in his mid-20's already, yet he was only sixteen now.

"I'm home!" Lucy called as she stepped inside with Edmund and Eva behind her.

The Scrubbs' maid quickly came to the door. "Welcome back, Lucy. Edmund."

"Hello, Elizabeth," Edmund greeted.

Elizabeth looked at Eva. "Hello, again, miss."

"Elizabeth," Eva smiled. "How many times must I tell you that you can call me Eva?"

The 20-year-old woman smiled shyly as she took all of their coats. "My apologies. I shall try to remember next time."

"Hello, Uncle Harold," Lucy greeted as she went to the kitchen. "I tried to find some carrots, but all they had were turnips again. Shall Elizabeth and I start making soup? Aunt Alberta's on her way home." Her uncle never put down his newspaper as he just coughed in response. "Uncle Harold?"

Edmund looked at his uncle in disgust and stuck his tongue out at him, which made Elizabeth and Eva smile.

"Father," Eustace said from the steps. "Edmund's making faces at you." Eustace shot a spitball at Edmund's neck.

"Why, you little…!" Edmund growled as he ran to Eustace.

"Father, he's going to hit me!"

"Edmund, look!" Lucy exclaimed before Edmund could hurt Eustace. She held up two letters. "They're from Susan and Elaine!"

Edmund, Eva, and Lucy went up to Lucy's room to read the letters. Elizabeth went into the kitchen and began to make some supper for everyone.

Lucy excitedly opened Elaine's letter first, addressed to all three of them. "'Peter and I send our best wishes. We miss you all dearly just as much as we miss Narnia. Peter is studying very hard with the Professor. I'm very proud of him. I'm working with other women to help the soldiers fighting in the war. We've almost earned enough money to buy the house we've been looking at. Now that we're both eighteen, we've decided to make our marriage legal, and we can finally call ourselves husband and wife in public. We told both of our parents and they were all surprised, but they were certainly thrilled. Especially my mother. She told me my father would be happy about our decision. If only they all knew how complicated the whole situation really was. You must come visit us when you can. We want so much to see you again. We hope everything is alright over there. You are constantly in our thoughts. All our love, Peter and Elaine Pevensie'."

"It's about time they can get married here," Eva remarked. "I know they've been looking forward to that for a long time. Read Susan's now!"

Lucy opened Susan's letter. "'I do wish you were here with us. It's been such an adventure. But nothing like our times in Narnia. America is very exciting. Except we never see father. He works so very hard. I was invited to the British Consul's tea party this week by a naval officer, who happens to be very handsome. I think he fancies me. It seems the Germans have made the crossing difficult right now. Times are hard. Mother hopes you both won't mind another few months in Cambridge'." Lucy looked up in horror. "Another few months? How will we survive?"

"You're lucky," Edmund said as he sat down on the bed next to her. "At least you've got your own room. I'm stuck with 'Mullet Mouth'."

Lucy sighed and went over to the mirror. "Susan, Peter, and Elaine are the lucky ones. Off on adventures."

"Yeah, they're the oldest, and we're the youngest. We don't matter as much."

"We'll get there," Eva said. "Besides, look on the bright side. At least we get to go back to Narnia someday."

Lucy tucked her hair behind her ear again. "Do you think I look anything like Susan?"

Eva smiled warmly. "I think you look like Lucy Pevensie, which is just how it should be."

Edmund stood up from the bed and went over to the painting on the wall. "Lucy, Eva, have you seen this ship before?"

"Yes," Lucy smiled. "It's very Narnian-looking, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Just another reminder that we're here and not there."

"There once were three orphans who wasted their time believing in Narnian nursery rhymes," Eustace said as he stepped into the room.

"Please let me hit him," Edmund said, taking a step forward.

"No!" Lucy said as she and Eva pulled him back.

"I will have you know, Eustace, that all of our parents are alive and well," Eva said sharply.

"Yes, but they all dumped you off here, didn't they?"

"For our own safety, and you know it."

"Don't you ever knock?" Edmund demanded.

Eustace came into the room and sat on Lucy's bed. "It's my house. I'll do as I please. You're just guests."

Elizabeth knocked on the door and stepped inside.

"Ugh, any more people in here and the floor will collapse," Eustace grumbled.

Elizabeth ignored his comment and looked to Lucy and Edmund. "I just wanted to ask what you wanted for supper. I'm making some salad right now, but I thought I would try my best to make everyone happy this evening."

"With your cooking, you won't make anyone happy."

Eva resisted the urge to punch Eustace in the face. Elizabeth was the sweetest woman she had ever met, and she didn't deserve such harsh treatment from the boy. He was always running her completely ragged and constantly teasing her while she worked. On multiple occasions, Edmund had defended her while Eva looked on with pride.

"What's so fascinating about that picture anyway? It's hideous."

"You won't see it from the other side of the door," Edmund replied, keeping his eyes on the painting.

"Edmund, Eva, it looks like the water is actually moving," Lucy said dreamily.

"What rubbish, see?" Eustace put in. "That's what happens when you read all those fanciful novels and fairy tales of yours."

"There once was a boy called Eustace, who read books full of facts that were useless," Edmund said, mimicking the way Eustace had rhymed earlier. Lucy and Eva smiled, and Elizabeth hid her own smile.

"People who read fairy tales are always a sort that become a hideous burden to people like me, who read books with real information."

Edmund spun around furiously. "'Hideous burden'? I haven't seen you lift a finger since we've been here." Eustace tried to get out the door, but Edmund quickly shut it. Elizabeth started to protest but stopped knowing that she shouldn't speak up to someone who was technically in charge of her. "I have a right mind to tell your father it was you who stole Aunt Alberta's sweets."

"Liar!"

"Oh, really?"

"Edmund, Eva, the painting!" Lucy said.

Eva looked at the painting and saw water trickling out of the frame as the ship started moving! "Edmund, you really need to see this!"

But Edmund just continued to go at it with Eustace. "I found them under your bed. And you know what? I licked every one of them!"

"Ugh! I'm infected with you!"

Suddenly, water began pouring from the frame as the ship in the painting sailed even closer to them.

"What's going on here?" Eustace asked frantically.

"Lucy, Eva do you think…" Edmund started.

Edmund, Eva, and Lucy smiled broadly at one another. There could only be one reason why this was happening.


	2. The Dawn Treader

"It's some kind of a trick!" Eustace panicked. "Stop it or I'll tell Mother. Mother! Mother!"

Elizabeth stared at the painting in awe and wondered why the three of them were so calm about this. She wanted to go to the door, but Eustace was in front of it, and she knew better than to try to get past him.

"I'll just smash the rotten thing!"

Eustace took the painting off the wall to try to destroy it.

"No, Eustace! No!" Edmund yelled.

"We can't stop it!" Lucy cried.

"Get off me! Get off!"

"Let go of it, Eustace! Put it down!"

"Get off it!"

"Let go!"

Lucy, Edmund and Eva all grabbed the painting as well to try to get it away from Eustace, but they all just ended up filling the room with even more water. By now it was nearly up to their waists.

Everyone, including Elizabeth, got sucked under the water. They all began swimming up and finally broke the surface, gasping for breath.

"What's happening?" Eustace exclaimed. "Where are we?"

"Eva!" Edmund cried. She surfaced next to him. "Are you alright?"

"I'm more than alright!"

Elizabeth came up and looked at the others in shock. She frantically looked around her, wondering where they were because they were certainly not in the house anymore. They didn't have time to do or say anything as a huge ship came straight for them. The ship from the painting.

"Eustace, swim!" Lucy cried.

"What's going on?" he yelled again.

"Eustace, come on!"

"Come on, move!" Edmund yelled, making sure Eva was with him.

"Keep swimming!"

Everyone tried to swim away from the approaching ship. Men dove off the side and started swimming for them. Eva was scared about what would happen if they got caught. After all, assuming they were in Narnia, not everyone was kind. King Miraz was proof enough of that.

Then she heard Lucy cry out, "Edmund! Eva! It's Caspian!"

Edmund and Eva stopped swimming and looked back at their old friend.

"Who's Caspian?" Elizabeth asked.

"A friend," Eva smiled.

"It's all right, everyone," one of Caspian's men said as he swam over to them. "You're safe now."

"Are we in Narnia?" Edmund asked.

"Yes, you're in Narnia," Caspian laughed.

One of the men came over to a frightened Elizabeth. "It's all right, miss. You'll be safe on the _Dawn Treader_."

Elizabeth had never had someone call her 'miss' before. It was kind of nice for things to be the other way around for once.

The man helped her swim over to the ship with Eustace wailing behind her, "I don't want to go! I want to go back to England! I'm going back to England!"

Lucy and Caspian got onto the ship first followed by Eva and then Edmund.

"Caspian!" Edmund called.

Caspian smiled and went over to him and Eva and draped blankets around their shoulders. "Edmund. Eva. It's great to see you two as well."

"We've missed you," Eva smiled.

"And I you."

One of Caspian's men helped Elizabeth onto the ship and handed her a blanket. She began to wring out her wet hair when she met Caspian's eyes. She felt her heart skip a beat as she took in how gorgeous he was.

Lucy smirked at their silent interaction, which she was pretty sure most people would consider 'the look'. "That's Elizabeth. She works for our aunt and uncle back at home."

"I see," Caspian answered, still looking at Elizabeth.

"Didn't you call for us?" she asked him, changing the subject.

"No. Not this time."

"Well, whatever the case, I'm just glad to be here," Edmund smiled.

"Me too!" Eva laughed.

A loud scream alerted them that Eustace was now on the ship. "Get that thing off me! Get that thing off me!" he cried, whacking a large mouse off his chest.

The mouse composed himself and scurried over to them.

"Reepicheep!" Lucy exclaimed.

Reepicheep looked up and saw Lucy smiling at him. "Oh. Your Majesties," he said as he bowed to them. "My Lady."

"Hello, Reep," Edmund said. "What a pleasure."

"The pleasure is all mine, sir. But first, what to do about this…this hysterical interloper?"

"That giant rat thing just tried to claw my face off!" Eustace screamed.

"I was merely trying to expel the water from your lungs, sir."

Eustace's mouth dropped open. "It talked! Did you see…? Did…did anyone hear that? It just talked!"

"He always talks," one of Caspian's men said to him.

"Actually, it's getting him to shut up is the trick," Caspian joked.

Reepicheep turned to him. "The moment there is nothing to be said, Your Highness, I promise you, I will not say it."

"I don't know what kind of prank this is, but I wanna wake up right now!" Eustace cried in hysterics.

"Perhaps we could throw him back?"

Lucy looked over at Edmund to find him seriously contemplating it. "Edmund!" she said as she hit him on the chest.

"Can you blame him?" Eva asked her.

Eustace started wailing. "I demand to know, just where in the blazes am I?"

"You're on the _Dawn Treader_ ," a minotaur said, coming up to him. "The finest ship in Narnia's navy." That was it for the boy. Eustace passed out from the shock and fell to the deck. Elizabeth put her hand to her mouth to hide her smile. The minotaur turned to Caspian. "Was it something I said?"

"See to him, will you?" Caspian ordered.

"Your Majesty."

Caspian went and stood at the front of the ship. "Men. Behold our castaways. Edmund the Just and Lucy the Valiant. High King and Queen of Narnia."

Elizabeth leaned over to Eva. "Your boyfriend is a King?" she asked quietly in disbelief.

Eva chuckled awkwardly. "Um, that's not all."

"They are joined by Lady Eva the Honorable."

Eva went up and stood next to Edmund as Elizabeth looked on in shock. The whole ship bowed down to the three people in front of them. Elizabeth politely joined in with a smile. All this time, she had been working for royalty.

"With them is their friend, Miss Elizabeth."

Elizabeth smiled. "If it's all the same, Your Majesty, I will care for Eustace. It's sort of my job."

"It's your job to care for that little devil?"

Elizabeth smiled at his words. "More or less."

"Very well then."

Elizabeth nodded and went below to where the crew had put the unconscious Eustace.

Everyone was fitted into new Narnian clothing. However, unlike usual, the girls were given pants and a vest to wear instead of a dress since they were expected to work on the ship and they didn't know what they would face in the days ahead.

While Elizabeth tended to Eustace, Edmund, Lucy, Eva and Caspian all went into Caspian's quarters.

Lucy looked at an intricate carving of the Great Lion. "Aslan," she smiled.

Around the room, there were various paintings depicting events from Narnia's history. The five Kings and Queens were on horseback on one wall, and the lamppost was on another. Above the paintings were two phrases: " _Once a King or Queen of Narnia, always a King or Queen_ " and _"In this world it was only as one remembers a dream_ ".

Lucy looked around the room and saw familiar items. "Look! Susan's bow and arrows."

Eva fingered the weapon propped up next to it. "And Elaine's staff."

"Lucy," Caspian said, holding out a chest for her.

Lucy smiled broadly. "My healing cordial and dagger." She started to reach for them, but stopped. "Oh, may I?"

"Of course. They're yours."

Edmund looked over near a cabinet with glass windows. "Peter's sword."

"Yes. I looked after it as promised." Caspian picked it up and held it out for him. "Here. Hold it if you wish."

"No, no, it's yours. Peter gave it to you."

Caspian smiled and went to another cabinet. "I did save this for you though." He pulled out the flashlight Edmund had left on their previous trip to Narnia. The four of them chuckled.

"Thanks," Edmund smiled. He checked to see if it still worked and ended up shining the bright light in his face.

Drinian joined them the State Room and they all went over to the table where a large map of Narnia sat.

"Since you left, the Giants of the North have surrendered unconditionally, then we defeated the Calormen armies at the Great Desert. There is peace across all of Narnia."

"Peace?" Edmund asked.

"In just three years."

Lucy tucked her hair behind her ear like she had when she had seen the woman with the soldier, an act that did not go unnoticed by Eva. "And have you found yourself a queen in those three years?"

Caspian smiled. "No. Not one to compare with your sister."

Eva let out a barely noticeable sigh. That probably wasn't the best thing to say to a girl who had lately been constantly comparing herself to her sister.

"Hang on," Edmund said. "So if there are no wars to fight and no one's in trouble, then why are we here?"

"It's a good question. I've been asking myself the same thing."

"So where are we sailing to?

"Before I took back the throne from my uncle, he tried to kill my father's closest friends and most loyal supporters. The seven Lords of Telmar." They all looked at a board where Caspian had pinned up drawings of seven different men. "They fled to the Lone Islands. No one has heard from them since."

"So you think something has happened to them?"

"Well, if it has…it's my duty to find out."

"Well, what's east of the Lone Islands?" Lucy asked as she ran her hand across the map.

"Uncharted waters," Drinian answered. "Things you can barely imagine. Tales of sea serpents and worse."

"Sea serpents?" Edmund smirked.

"All right, Captain. That's enough of your tall tales," Caspian smiled.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth was down below dabbing a small cloth onto Eustace's forehead. She was in total disbelief about what had just occurred and a part of her was still trying to convince herself that she was only dreaming. She had heard Lucy, Edmund, and Eva talking about Narnia several times before. She had just always assumed it was a game between them. When they talked about wanting to go back to Narnia, she thought they wanted to go back to when they were kids and could play that game again. She never would've guessed that Narnia was actually a land where they all ruled.

Eustace started to wake back up in his hammock.

"It's alright," she said tenderly. "You're just a bit under the weather."

"I had the worst dream. I was on a boat with my awful cousins and our useless maid."

Elizabeth sighed and continued to press the cloth to his head. "I'm afraid that wasn't a dream, sir."

Eustace looked around him and groaned. "This is officially the worst day of my life."

"Oh, come now. It isn't all that bad."

"Easy for you to say. Every day of your life is bad."

"I wouldn't say _every_ day."

"You're a maid. How good can your life be?"

Elizabeth took a deep breath, still not used to how Eustace spoke to her. "Just rest for now. You'll feel better soon."

She continued to wipe down his forehead, treating him like she was expected to.


	3. Lone Islands

" _Where sky and water meet, where the waves grow ever sweet. Doubt not, you Reepicheep. To find all that you seek, there is the Utter East. Doubt not_ —"

"That's pretty!"

Reepicheep abruptly stopped singing and turned around to find Lucy and Eva at the bow. "Oh! Thank you. A dryad sung it to me when I was just a mouseling. I can't divine the meaning, but I've never forgotten the words."

"What do you think is past the Lone Islands, Reep?

"Well, I've been told the furthest east one can sail is to the end of the world. Aslan's Country."

"Do you really believe there's such a place?"

"Well, we have nothing, if not belief."

Lucy paused. "Do you think you could actually sail there?"

"Well, there is only one way of finding that out. I can only hope I will one day earn the right to see it."

"I can't imagine anyone more deserving to see Aslan's Country than you, Reep," Eva smiled.

"I hope Aslan thinks so too, my Lady!"

* * *

"Elizabeth!" Lucy called down. "Come up! You're going to want to see this!"

Elizabeth left Eustace's side and went back up onto the main deck. Caspian and Edmund were dueling while Lucy, Eva, and the rest of the crew all watched in delight.

Both of them did quite impressive footwork as metal clashed against metal. The spar went on for a while before it ended with each sword pressed to the other's neck in a draw. Everyone applauded the Kings.

"You've grown stronger, my friend," Caspian said to Edmund.

"Seems I have."

"Alright!" Eva said as she stepped towards them. She smiled at Edmund. "My turn."

Edmund smirked as Caspian handed her his sword. The two of them stood a few feet apart and looked at one another as another spar prepared to begin.

Edmund had been teaching Eva combat skills over the past couple of years at home, knowing she would need them once they returned. She had gotten really good at it as time went on, and he was curious as to how she would fare with an audience.

Edmund made the first move, and their duel began. Once more, metal clashed against metal as Edmund and Eva fought with their swords. The fight went up the stairs to the steering wheel as everyone watched with amusement. Eva slid down the railing on the stairs while Edmund bounded after her, hopping over the railing a few stairs from the bottom.

With one final move, Edmund managed to knock the sword out of Eva's hand before she fell to the ground. Edmund aimed his sword at her in victory. Then he smiled and helped her up.

Caspian came over to Eva. "You've certainly improved since the last time I saw you," Caspian commented.

"I had a good teacher," Eva smiled.

Edmund smiled back at her as he put his arm around her.

"Alright! Back to work!" Drinian ordered.

Edmund and Eva got some water and went next to Lucy.

Elizabeth joined them. "That was impressive," she said to Eva. "I didn't know you could do that."

"That's what we've been doing when Edmund and I left the house for a while," Eva told her. "Normal couples go out to eat and talk. We went out to train in combat."

"Edmund," Lucy said. "Do you think if we keep sailing to the end of the world, we'll just…tip off the edge?"

"Don't worry, Lu. We're a long way from there."

Eustace came up from below the ship. "I see you're still talking nonsense, the three of you."

"Are you feeling better?" Lucy asked as he leaned against the railing of the ship.

"Yes, no thanks to you. It's lucky I have an iron constitution."

Eva scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"As effervescent as ever, I see," Reepicheep remarked as he climbed over the ropes that led to the crow's nest. "Find your sea legs?"

"Never lost them. Simply dealing with the shock of things. Mother says I have an acute disposition, due to my intelligence."

Edmund spit out the water he had been drinking as he laughed. Eva and Lucy began laughing at his reaction.

"I don't think he has a cute anything," Reepicheep said.

"I'll have you know, as soon as we find civilization, I'm contacting the British Consul! Have you all arrested for kidnapping."

He turned and bumped right into Caspian. "Kidnapping, is it?" he asked with a smile. "That's funny. I thought we saved your life."

"You held me against my will!"

"Ha!" Reepicheep exclaimed.

"Did I?" Caspian said, still smiling.

"In what, I must say, are the most unhygienic quarters. It's like…it's like a zoo down there!"

"He's quite the complainer, isn't he?" Reepicheep asked the others.

"He's just warming up," Edmund answered.

Eva smiled at her boyfriend, and Elizabeth smiled as well.

"What are you smiling at?" Eustace demanded of Elizabeth. "Find something funny?"

"Land ho!" the lookout in the crow's nest yelled.

Elizabeth breathed a sigh of relief, thankful she was spared from another one of Eustace's tantrums.

They had arrived at the first island.

"The Lone Islands," Drinian confirmed as Caspian looked through his spyglass. "The port of Narrowhaven."

"Strange," Caspian remarked as he handed the spyglass to Edmund. "Not a Narnian flag in sight."

"But The Lone Islands have always been Narnia's," Edmund said, looking at the island. He then handed the spyglass to Eva.

"Seems suspicious," Drinian muttered.

"I say we prepare a landing party. Drinian?"

Drinian looked at Edmund. "Forgive me, Your Majesty, but the chain of command starts with King Caspian on this ship."

"…Right."

Eva looked at Edmund awkwardly. She knew very well that he had always been second-in-command next to Peter, and it had to have stung a little to see that the ranks hadn't changed even when Peter wasn't in Narnia.

"We'll use longboats," Caspian ordered, going along with Edmund's idea. "Drinian, pick some men and come ashore."

"Aye."

"Tavros."

The minotaur turned to the other crew members. "Man the longboats, furl the sail and prepare to drop anchor!"

Edmund and Eva hopped into one of the boats with Caspian and were joined by Lucy, Eustace, and Elizabeth. Elizabeth assumed they brought her along just because they wanted her to help take care of anyone who may be injured. After all, what else was she really good for?

"Onward!" Reepicheep said excitedly as they pulled up onto land. "The thrill of the unknown lies ahead!"

"Couldn't this have waited till the morning?" Eustace grumbled.

"There is no honor in turning away from adventure, lad."

"Listen," Lucy said. "Where is everyone?"

They all listened for a second, realizing that Lucy was right. It was as silent as death.

"Come on, jelly legs," Reepicheep said to Eustace who was taking forever to get out of the boat.

"I'm capable of doing it myself!" Eustace answered only to flop on the ground as he tried to get from the boat to the ground and hit his knee. Reepicheep sighed in annoyance.

Caspian stared at the boy. "And you're certain he's related by blood?"

Eva smiled at Edmund who couldn't help but smirk. They all slowly walked up towards the city. Suddenly, a huge bell rang out that made everyone jump in surprise. Lucy grabbed her dagger while Caspian prepared his crossbow, but no movement occurred save for a few birds flying above them.

"Reepicheep, stay here with Drinian's men and secure the place," Caspian ordered. "We'll head on. If we don't come back by dawn, send a party."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Caspian, Edmund, Lucy, Eva, Elizabeth, and Eustace began to trek forward further into the city to see why not a soul could be found.

Eustace peeked through a window and then frantically ran back to the others. "Yeah, looks like nobody is in, so do you think we should head back?"

"Do you want to come here and guard…something?" Edmund asked.

"Ah, yes." Eustace started running up to them. "Good idea, cousin. Very…uh, you know, logical." Caspian walked up to him and handed him a dagger. Eustace hesitantly took it from him. "I've got it, I've got it. Don't worry."

Eva looked at Edmund. "I don't know about you, but when he tells me not to worry, I start worrying."

Edmund smirked again, and they all went into the large building that resembled a cathedral. Huge bells hung from the ceiling and large statues rested against the walls and stain-glassed windows.

"Uh, I'm ready to go when you are!" Eustace called.

They slowly approached a pile of books in the center of the room. One of the books was open with pages that were filled with names that all had a line through them.

"Who are all these people?" Lucy asked.

"Why have they been crossed out?" Edmund added.

"It looks like some kind of…fee."

"Slave traders," Caspian told them.

The bells above them started ringing loudly, and several men slid down from the ropes, surrounding the group. Caspian hit several of them with the arrows from his crossbow while Lucy, Edmund, and Eva all brandished their swords and began to fight with all of the strange men. Elizabeth stood by the pile of books out of the way of everyone, not knowing how to fight like her friends did.

A loud shrill scream forced them all to cease fighting. They turned to find a man with a dagger to Eustace's throat.

"Unless you want to hear this one squeal like a girl again, I'd say you should drop your weapons," the man drawled.

"Like a girl?" Eustace asked in disbelief. He was silenced when the dagger was pressed to his throat even more.

"Now!"

Lucy angrily dropped her sword while everyone else followed suit. As annoying as Eustace may be, they didn't want to see his life ended.

"Eustace…" Edmund started.

"Put them in irons!" the man ordered.

The other men began putting handcuffs on everyone.

"Take these four to market," the man said as he pointed to Eustace, Lucy, Eva, and Elizabeth. He firmly held Eustace's ear in his hand. "Send those two to the dungeons," he added as he pointed to Edmund and Caspian.

"Listen to me, you insolent fool!" Caspian yelled. "I am your king!"

Edmund fought against the man handcuffing him, but the man punched him in the face.

"Edmund!" Eva cried.

"You're gonna pay for that!" Edmund growled.

"Actually…someone else is going to pay," another man said smoothly as he stepped out of the shadows. "For all of you."

The men started to drag Caspian and Edmund to the dungeons while others dragged Lucy, Eva, Eustace, and Elizabeth away from them.

"No! Edmund!" Lucy screamed.

"Edmund, please!" Eva cried.

"Eva, we will save you!" Edmund called after her. "I promise."

"Elizabeth!" Caspian yelled.


	4. Escaping the Slave Traders

The four of them were taken away to the market while Edmund and Caspian were taken to a cell.

They were all shoved in a line where a steel ring was placed around them. There were other creatures chained up next to them.

Eva looked at her friends worriedly. "We'll be okay," she tried to assure them. "Edmund and Caspian will find us and save us."

"Don't be so sure of that," one of the fauns said to her. "People don't leave this island unless they're…offered."

"What are you talking about?"

"You've got two choices. Either someone is going to pay for you to be their slave, or you're going to be fed to the mist."

"What's the mist?"

"No one knows. All we know is that it takes you where you'll never be found." After a pause, the faun asked, "Where did they take your friends?"

"To the dungeons."

The faun shook his head. "No one gets out of there."

"You don't know Edmund and Caspian."

"Maybe not, but I know this island, and I know the men who have taken control of it."

"You don't understand. I love him, and I know he's coming to find me."

Lucy looked at Eva. "You love Edmund?"

"…Yes. I do."

"Have you told him?"

Eva slowly shook her head. "I guess…I'm afraid to. I've never loved someone before. And we're still just so young."

"Peter and Elaine confessed their feelings for each other when they were only 15, and look where they are now."

"Well, what if he doesn't feel the same way?"

"Eva, you've been together for almost two years, and you were best friends for a year before that. If he doesn't love you back, then he doesn't know what love is."

"Ugh…girls," Eustace muttered.

Everyone fell asleep in rather uncomfortable positions thanks to the steel rings. They were awoken by shrieks from different women and children.

They all watched in horror as a cart full of people started to be pulled away. A man and a little girl started running after it.

"Mummy!"

"Stay with Daddy!" a woman on the cart called to the little girl.

The man couldn't keep up with the cart and fell to the ground. "Don't worry!" he yelled to the woman. "I'll find you!"

"Mummy!"

Lucy put her hand to her forehead in fear. Eva gently wrapped her arms around the girl to comfort her. Elizabeth was silent, but she looked more than terrified.

 _Oh, please hurry, Edmund,_ Eva thought.

Elizabeth was yanked up from her sitting position by one of the men. He handcuffed her wrists together and then led her over to a bidding stand. Tears welled up in her eyes at the thought of what would happen to her when she was sold. She thought she had been freed from this…

"I bid 100!" a man called.

"140!" another shouted.

"200!" yet another called out.

Elizabeth listened as the bids got higher and higher so someone could steal her away and make her his slave. A small piece of wood marked 'SOLD' was put over her head, and she was yanked away from the stand to be reserved until the auction was complete.

Lucy went up onto the stand next.

"I offer 60!"

"I bid 80!"

"100 for the little lady!"

"120!"

"150!"

"Any more bids?" the auctioneer called out.

A man placed the 'SOLD' necklace on Lucy as well, and she was yanked away to stand next to Elizabeth.

Another man dragged Eustace up next. "And now, for this…fine specimen! Who'll kick off the bidding?"

No one said anything, and Elizabeth might've smiled if she wasn't so scared about what was going to happen to her once the bidding was over.

"Come on now," the auctioneer said. "He may not look like much, but uh…he's strong."

"Yeah, he's strong all right," one man in the audience said. "Smells like the rear end of a Minotaur."

"That is an outrageous lie," Eustace said firmly. "I won the school hygiene award two years running!"

The auctioneer raised his eyebrows at the boy's remarks. He didn't really understand what he meant, but the boy seemed to think it was a big deal. "Come on, someone make a bid!"

"I'll take them off your hands," a familiar voice called. "I'll take them all off your hands!"

The man took his hood off to reveal Drinian with Reepicheep on his shoulder!

"For Narnia!"

More men uncovered themselves to reveal that most of the bidders were actually part of Caspian's crew!

Elizabeth ducked under a table in fear. Reepicheep came over and undid Lucy's handcuffs.

"Thanks, Reep," Lucy smiled. "I knew you'd come."

"Your Highness."

Lucy began fighting with the others. Eva used her handcuffs to her advantage and wrapped them around one man's neck. After a few seconds, he passed out from lack of oxygen. People from the city began to come out and help the others in the fight against the slave traders. All it took was one revolt, and they were ready to end the reign of terror.

Edmund ran up to Eva and undid her handcuffs. She threw her arms around his neck.

"Have I mentioned you're the best boyfriend ever?"

"Once or twice, but it's always nice to be reminded."

She smiled, and the two of them continued to fight with the men.

Caspian found Elizabeth cowering under a table and went over to her. She spun around quickly when he touched her shoulder. He didn't think he had ever seen someone look so terrified before in his life.

"It's alright, Elizabeth," he said tenderly. He unlocked her handcuffs and then helped her out from under the table. "It's alright."

The slave traders were finally defeated and the city was freed from their power. Caspian, Edmund, Lucy, Eva, Elizabeth, and the rest of the Narnians walked through the streets as the citizens cheered and applauded them.

"Your Majesty!" someone called running over to Caspian. "Your Majesty!"

"Hold it," Drinian said, forcing him back.

"My wife was taken just this morning."

"It's alright, Drinian," Caspian said. Drinian released the man.

"I beg you, take me with you."

"I want to come," a little girl said, tugging on the man's sleeve.

"No, Gael, stay with your aunt." He turned back to Caspian. "I'm a fine sailor, been on the seas my whole life."

Caspian smiled. "Of course. You must."

"Thank you!"

Lucy and Elizabeth watched the young girl run up to her father. "But, Daddy!"

The man touched his daughter's shoulders. "Have I ever not come back?" He hugged the girl tightly. "Now be good." Then he took off towards the ship.

They all returned to their longboats, the cheers still sounding behind them.

"My King!" an older man called. "My King!" Eva recognized him as one of the lords from the board in the State Room. The man handed Caspian a sword covered in barnacles from the brine of the seawater. "This was given to me by your father. I hid it safely in a cave all these years."

"That's an old Narnian sword!" Edmund said.

"It's from your Golden Age. There are seven such swords. Gifts from Aslan to protect Narnia. Your father entrusted them to us. Here, take it. And may it protect you."

"Thank you, my lord," Caspian said. "And we shall find your lost citizens." Everyone from the city continued cheering for them. "Edmund." Caspian handed Edmund the sword for him to have.

Everyone returned to the ship again, safe and sound.

That night, Elizabeth knocked on the door to the State Room where Caspian had retreated.

"Your Majesty," she said quietly.

"Yes, Elizabeth?"

"I just wanted to personally say thank you…for what you did for me back on the island."

"Of course." Caspian looked up at her, and he suddenly realized half of the reason she had been so scared. "You didn't think we were going to save you," he said as more of a statement than a question.

Elizabeth looked away from him. "With all due respect, Your Majesty, you don't know me. I am not a Queen like Lucy or a Lady like Eva. I am nothing more than a mere…servant. I was sold to do what I have always done. I didn't believe you would find me worth saving."

"Elizabeth, just because you are not a Queen or a Lady does not mean your life is any less important."

Elizabeth looked at him sadly. "Yes, it does." She politely curtsied and exited the room.

Caspian looked after her. What had happened to her to make her believe such a thing?


	5. Reepicheep and Eustace's Duel

"Elizabeth."

Elizabeth turned and Caspian tossed her a sword. She flinched as she caught it in her hand.

"Everyone in Narnia needs to learn proper swordsmanship. And after what we faced on the last island, I think it's high time someone taught you."

"Oh, no, Your Majesty," Elizabeth laughed nervously. "I…I can't possibly…"

"The only person stopping you is yourself. Now block."

Caspian lunged towards her with his own sword, and Elizabeth quickly threw her sword in front of her face to block the blow. Various crew members circled around them, watching Caspian teach Elizabeth how to swordfight.

"Point your sword up," Caspian instructed. "Now thrust with your right foot."

Elizabeth did as she was told, and Caspian proceeded to block the blow. For several hours with few breaks in between, Caspian taught Elizabeth how to properly use a sword. She picked up the skill really fast for someone who had never even looked at a sword before.

Finally, Caspian stopped training for the day. "Very good, Elizabeth. You have some serious potential."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Caspian smiled warmly at her. "Caspian."

Elizabeth smiled back as she blushed. Lucy smirked. The two of them really had some chemistry going on.

* * *

As the days passed, Caspian continued to teach Elizabeth how to swordfight while Edmund continued teaching Eva. When he wasn't teaching his girlfriend swordfighting, he was rubbing off the barnacles on the sword, sharpening it for use once more.

"It's going to be magnificent," Reepicheep said as he watched Edmund restore the sword to its former glory. "Do they come in a smaller size?"

Eva smiled at her mouse friend. "If it did, you would be the first to receive it."

Eustace's attitude had not improved, and he spent a lot of his time either complaining or writing in his journal…where he wrote out more complaints.

Elizabeth and Caspian were about to start training again when Eustace came running onto the deck from below holding a butcher's knife. He ended up bumping into Tavros.

"Watch it," he growled.

"Sorry," Eustace stammered. He continued running across the deck while Reepicheep scampered after him.

"Trying to run away? We're on a boat, you know." He swung on a rope and landed in front of Eustace.

"Look, can't we just discuss this?"

Reepicheep cut Eustace's shirt. "That was for stealing." He then poked his sword into an orange hidden in his shirt. That was why the boy had been running across the deck in a panic. He had been trying to steal some food.

Eva rolled her eyes. They were all hungry. He would just have to get over it. Though by the looks of it, Reepicheep must've caught him and wasn't about to let that go unpunished.

"That was for lying." Reepicheep then hit Eustace's face with the orange. "And that was for good measure." When he noticed Eustace's hand with the butcher knife shaking with anger, he laughed as Eustace started trying to stab him. "That's the spirit! We have ourselves a duel! Catch."

He tossed the orange to Drinian who caught it with ease.

Eva leaned over to Edmund. "This should be interesting."

"Now, come on," Reepicheep laughed. "Take your best shot."

Eustace lunged at Reepicheep with his knife several times, but each time Reepicheep managed to evade his movements.

"Is that it? Come on, boy! Focus! Focus! Yes! Stop flapping your wings like a drunken pelican! Poise! Keep your blade up. Up! Up! That's it!"

Eustace lunged again, trying to follow Reepicheep's instructions. Reepicheep scampered across the ship on the ropes and the railing. Eustace lunged, but the knife got stuck in the wood as Reepicheep flipped over him and landed on a barrel.

"Yoo-hoo! Over here!" Eustace came after him. "Now, lunge with your foot." He scampered down to Eustace's feet. "Not your left, your right! Got it? Come on. Be nimble. Be nimble! It's a dance, boy, a dance. Come on now. Again, and again. That's right, that's right."

Eustace lunged again, and Reepicheep began to cheer his praises as Eustace finally got it right. Then Reepicheep fell off the railing of the ship. Eustace panicked and looked over the side. Reepicheep then appeared on the rope above him and tapped him on his left shoulder with his tail. Eustace turned at his touch.

"And that is that!" he said as he shoved Eustace onto the deck where he knocked over a crate.

Everyone applauded the duel between Eustace and Reepicheep.

"Look!" Lucy said.

Out from the crate crawled little Gael from the Lone Islands, the daughter of Rhince, the man who had joined them.

"Gael?" Rhince said in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

Eva wondered how on earth that small child managed to remain undetected for so long. After all, it had been several days since they left the Lone Islands.

Rhince went over and hugged his daughter tightly.

Drinian approached the small girl. "Looks like we have an extra crew member." He smiled and handed her the orange Eustace had tried to steal. Gael shyly took it from him.

Lucy went over to Gael. "Welcome aboard," she smiled.

"Your Majesty," Gael said with a polite curtsy.

"Call me Lucy. Come on." Lucy took Gael to show her where she could stay while aboard the _Dawn Treader_.

"Come on, look lively!" Drinian ordered. "Back to work!"

Eustace picked up the butcher knife on the deck.

"Good match," Reepicheep commented. "I'll make a swordsman of you yet."

Eustace smiled at first, and then said shortly, "Yes, well, if the playing field were a little more even, it would've been an entirely different result."

Reepicheep chuckled. "Indeed."

Eva approached the mouse. "I don't know what you did, but I think that's the first time I've ever seen him really smile."

"He's just a boy like any other. They're all searching for acceptance."

"He'd be accepted by a lot more people if he wasn't so awful. Have you seen the way he treats Elizabeth?"

"Some people feel more important by belittling others they believe to be lower than them. It's how they compensate for feeling ignored or mistreated."

"You know…come to think of it, from what I've seen at his house, Elizabeth is really the only one who pays any attention to him. His mother and father hardly ever speak to him. In fact…I don't really think he has any friends at all. Which isn't hard to believe, given his attitude, but…even still, I think you're right. He wants acceptance…and you've started to give him that."

"You see, Lady Eva, there's more to people than what they initially let on. He may be rude to Elizabeth, but that's probably because he doesn't know how to act any other way since he hasn't had much other contact with someone else."

"Elizabeth has really put up with him a lot. And yet…she's always so nice to him even when he is completely rude to her."

"Perhaps she understands his need for human contact."

"Perhaps. I think there's more to it than that, though."


	6. Coriakin

That night, the _Dawn Treader_ came upon the next island.

"It looks uninhabited," Caspian said, eying the island through his telescope. "But if the lords followed the mist east, they would've stopped here."

"Could be a trap," Drinian put in.

"Or it could hold some answers," Edmund added. "Caspian?"

Caspian closed his telescope. "We'll spend the night on shore. Scour the island in the morning."

"Aye, Your Majesty," Drinian said.

Several people including Edmund, Eva, Eustace, Elizabeth, Lucy, and Gael joined Caspian onto the island.

Edmund started up a fire while the others set down blankets on the sand.

"Elizabeth," Caspian called. He set down a blanket for her. "This one is for you."

Elizabeth smiled and sat down on it, close to the fire. It warmed her up quickly which she was grateful for.

Edmund and Eva lay down next to each other.

"Are you as excited to be back as I am?" Eva asked him with the usual spark in her eyes.

"More so," Edmund replied.

"I'm sure. After all, you've been here much longer than I have."

"True. Though I wish Eustace hadn't come too."

"Oh, stop it, he's your cousin."

"He's intolerable."

"Maybe so, but I think this trip will be good for him. I mean, it worked wonders for you, didn't it?"

Edmund paused. "Fair enough."

Elizabeth hugged her knees tightly to her chest as she stared at the fire. Caspian came and sat down next to her.

"It's alright, you know," he said gently.

"What?" Elizabeth asked.

"You're just really tense. You're safe here with us. I promise. I won't let what happened on the last island happen again."

"Of course."

Caspian noticed that it sounded like she didn't really believe him. To his dismay, she was fully convinced that if she was in trouble, he wouldn't help her. "Elizabeth, may I ask you something?"

"Yes."

"What was your life like with Lucy and Edmund?"

"Nothing extravagant. I'm just the maid to their aunt and uncle and cousin."

"How did you find yourself there?"

"There's a war going on where we live. Times are hard, and people are desperate. Women take jobs anywhere they can possibly get them. I'm just naturally good at housekeeping and caring for others, so I became a maid."

"I'm sorry you're stuck with that one," he said pointing to Eustace.

Elizabeth laughed lightly. "He's really not all bad. He's just…young."

"I must admire you for putting up with him so well. Not many people are capable of that."

"I have to think good things of the people I work for. Otherwise I might find myself out of a job."

"That's a good way to go about things. Always thinking good things about people. I should try to keep that in mind."

"I believe you already do."

* * *

"Ed…Eva," Caspian said, shaking the two of them awake. "Wake up. Wake up, look."

"Mm?" Eva mumbled.

Edmund sat up and saw many large footprints in the sand. He looked over to where Lucy had been sleeping. "Where's Lucy?"

At that, Eva bolted upright and looked at where Lucy's blanket lay empty. If anything happened to the little girl who was like a sister to her, she didn't know what she'd do. How would they ever be able to explain that to Peter, Elaine, and Susan back home? Or even worse, how would they explain that to her mother?

"Lucy?" Caspian and Eva called.

"Lucy!" Edmund yelled.

"Everybody up!" Caspian ordered.

Elizabeth stirred and quickly sat up when she realized that everyone else was grabbing their weapons.

"Get up!" Drinian said firmly. "Get up, I said!"

Caspian led the way deeper into the island with Edmund and Eva right behind him, their swords drawn. Elizabeth stayed close to them, hoping to find the girl she had grown to care for.

A flash of light caught Eva's eye. "Edmund," she said, lightly hitting him on the chest. They both knelt down to see what the object was.

"Caspian, Lucy's dagger," Edmund pointed out.

Suddenly, several spears pierced the ground, threatening to hit some of the crew members. Caspian quickly pulled Elizabeth behind him. Eva raised her sword high in front of her, but an unseen force quickly knocked it out of her grasp.

"Stop right there or perish!" a gruff voice yelled.

The crew members all began to get knocked to the ground, hit in the face, and disarmed. As much as they tried to fight back, it was useless. It was impossible to fight with creatures they couldn't see.

"What sort of creatures are you?" Caspian demanded.

"Big ones!" someone answered. "With the head of a tiger and the body of a, um…"

"Different tiger!" another voice finished.

"You don't want to mess with us!"

"Or what?" Edmund challenged.

"Or I'll claw you to death!"

"And I'll ram my tusks right through you!"

"And I will gnash you with my teeth."

"And I'll bite you with my fangs. Grrr!"

The creatures' threats would have been a lot more intimidating if they had remained invisible. But before their eyes, they slowly began to materialize in front of them. Small creatures with only one foot stood atop one another to make them seem taller than they really were.

Elizabeth was extremely overwhelmed by this point. Never before had she been in a situation such as this one. This was beyond anything she ever could've imagined. She thought that she would be stuck in a house as a maid for the rest of her life.

"You mean squash us with your fat bellies?" Edmund asked sarcastically.

"Yes! Fat bellies?"

"Tickle us with your toes?" Caspian laughed.

Realizing he was caught, the creature fell from his perch atop two other creatures.

Edmund aimed his sword at him. "What have you done with my sister, you little pipsqueak?"

"Now, calm down," the creature begged.

"Where is she?"

"You better tell him!" one of them said.

"Go on, Chief, tell him," another added.

"In the mansion," the one Edmund had his sword pointed at told them.

"What mansion?" A huge house suddenly materialized in front of them. Edmund looked over. "Oh. That mansion."

Eva looked at him and smiled.

"You know, I'm really getting tired of you all leaving me behind!" Everyone turned to find Eustace fighting his way through the brush. He froze when he saw what was going on.

"It's the pig!" one the creatures exclaimed.

"The pig has come back!"

"This place just gets weirder and weirder," Eustace muttered.

"Weird?" one of the creatures said in disbelief. "Him calling us weird?"

The creatures started scrambling away, and everyone turned to find Lucy and another man exiting the mansion.

"Lucy!" Edmund exclaimed with relief as he sheathed his sword.

"Your Majesty," the man said to Edmund and Caspian with a small bow. Then he looked over at Eva. "My Lady."

Eva gave him a gentle nod and a smile.

"Caspian, Edmund, and Eva," Lucy introduced. "This is Coriakin. It's his island."

Caspian, Edmund, and Eva politely bowed to the man in return.

"That's what he thinks!" one of the creatures yelled. "You have wronged us, magician."

"I have not wronged you," Coriakin said as he walked forward, causing all the creatures to quickly begin hopping away on their one foot. "I made you invisible for your own protection."

"Protection?"

"That's oppressive!"

"Opressor!"

"I have not oppressed you," Coriakin said gently.

"But you could have, if you wanted to!"

Coriakin tossed something at them. "Be gone."

"What was that?" Lucy asked.

"Lint. But don't tell them."

Eva leaned over to Edmund. "I like this guy already."

"What were those things?" Eustace asked the man.

"Dufflepuds."

"Right, of course. Silly me."

Coriakin led them through the hallways of his large house.

"What did you mean when you said you made them invisible for their own good?" Lucy asked.

"It seemed the easiest way to protect them. From the evil."

"You mean the mist?" Edmund clarified.

"I mean what lies behind the mist."

He led them into a huge room filled with books all along the walls reaching up to the ceiling. Patterns of stars circled around the room. Coriakin unraveled a large scroll and the pictures came alive as part of it lifted off the paper.

"That's quite beautiful," Eustace remarked. When he saw everyone looking at him, he quickly added, "I mean for a make-believe map in a make-believe world."

Eva looked at the moving picture of Peter charging on a field. "Edmund, isn't that the Battle of Beruna?"

"Yeah, it is…"

His mind briefly flashed back to the battle against the White Witch where he had almost lost his life at her hand. Again.

"There is the source of your problems," Coriakin told them. The map moved and showed them an island that looked absolutely terrifying. "Dark Island. A place where evil lurks. It can take any form. It can make your darkest dreams come true. It seeks to corrupt all goodness. To steal the light from this world."

"How do we stop it?" Lucy asked him.

"You must break its spell." He pointed to Edmund's sword. "That sword you carry, there are six others."

"Have you seen them?" Edmund asked.

"Yes."

"The six lords…they passed through here?" Caspian inferred.

"Indeed."

"Where were they headed?"

"Where I sent them." The map moved again, and a small blue light appeared over a beautiful island that was the complete opposite of the island they had just seen. "To break the spell, you must follow the Blue Star…to Ramandu's Island. There, the seven swords must be laid at Aslan's Table. Only then can their true magical power be released. But beware. You are all about to be tested."

"Tested?" Lucy said.

"Until you lay down the seventh sword, evil has the upper hand. It will do everything in its power to tempt you. Be strong. Don't fall to temptations. To defeat the darkness out there, you must defeat the darkness inside yourself."

Edmund and Eva looked at each other. They had a bad feeling about what they were about to face.


	7. Nightmares

Almost as soon as they left Coriakin's island, a massive storm started that showed no sign of stopping. For days that soon turned into weeks, Edmund and Eva stayed on deck to help manage the ship with the others. Lucy and Elizabeth stayed in Caspian's quarters with Gael. No one really knew where Eustace spent all his time, but he was probably writing in his journal again…and not helping them on deck.

Because of the storm, Elizabeth hadn't been able to gain much more training from Caspian. Lucy would've helped her, but the room was too small to learn any moves properly.

"So, we're stuck here at half-rations with food and water for two more weeks maximum," Drinian said as he, Caspian, Edmund, and Eva gathered in the State Room. "This is your last chance to turn back, Your Majesties. There's no guarantee we'll spot the Blue Star anytime soon. Not in this storm. Needle in a haystack, trying to find this Ramandu place. We could sail right past it and off the edge of the world."

"Or get eaten by a sea serpent," Edmund put in. Eva couldn't really tell if he was being sarcastic or not.

"I'm just saying the men are getting nervous. These are strange seas we're sailing. The likes of which I've never seen before."

Caspian stood up from his seat and went over to Drinian. "Then perhaps, Captain, you would like to be the one to explain to Mr. Rhince that we're abandoning the search for his family."

From the tone of Caspian's voice, Drinian understood his orders quite clearly. "I'll get back to it." He grabbed his raincoat and turned back to the others. "Just a word of warning. The sea can play nasty tricks on the crew's mind. Very nasty."

Eva went to Caspian's chambers to get some much-needed sleep. Lucy and Elizabeth were already asleep by the time she got in the room. She lay down on the makeshift bed and drifted off.

Green mist started to slowly seep into the room unnoticed by any of the occupants. It crawled its way across the room, as silent and imperceptible as a slow death.

Lucy pulled out of the piece of paper she had taken from Coriakin's spell book.

"' _Transform my reflection, cast into perfection, lashes, lips, and complexion. Make me she whom I'd agree holds more beauty over me_ '."

She slowly got out of bed and went over to the mirror. She watched as her nightgown transformed into a gorgeous blue dress. Her face began to change and before she knew it, she was looking at Susan's face. She smiled as she touched her cheek in disbelief. Lucy heard the faint sound of music, so she pushed the mirror open and was met with a bright courtyard.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Miss Pevensie!" someone announced.

Everyone applauded for her and she caught the eyes of several attractive soldiers. So this was what that felt like. She liked it. A lot.

Edmund came over to her and took her arm. "Edmund?"

"You look beautiful, sister," Edmund smiled.

"As always," a familiar voice said as her other arm was taken.

"Peter!"

"Excuse me, miss, can I get a photo?" a photographer asked.

"Mother's going to love this," Peter said. "All her children in one picture."

"Hang on. Where am I?" Lucy asked. "I mean, where's Lucy?"

"Lucy, who's Lucy?" Edmund said confused.

"And what about Elaine?"

"Elaine? We haven't seen Elaine since we left the Professor's house," Peter answered her. "We didn't exactly get along very well after all. Who knows where she is now?"

Lucy started squirming in their grasps.

"Susan, what's wrong?"

"Come on now, miss. Nice big smile!" the photographer said.

Lucy looked at Edmund. "Edmund, I'm not sure about all this. I think I want to go back."

"Go back where?"

"To Narnia!"

"What on earth is Narnia?"

"What's going on? Stop this!"

Lucy covered her eyes and when she looked up again, she was back on the ship in front of the mirror. Aslan came up behind her.

"Lucy," he said gently.

"Aslan?" Lucy whipped around, but Aslan was not there. She turned and saw him still in the mirror.

"What have you done, child?"

"I don't know," she admitted shamefully. "That was awful."

"But you chose it, Lucy."

"I didn't mean to choose all of that. I just wanted to be beautiful like Susan. That's all."

"You wished yourself away, and with it, much more. Your brothers and sister and Elaine wouldn't know Narnia without you, Lucy. You discovered it first, remember? Nor would Peter have ever married Elaine without knowing Narnia first, and she wouldn't have become your sister-in-law."

"I'm so sorry."

"You doubt your value. Don't run from who you are."

Lucy bolted upright in her bed. "Aslan!" she cried as a thunderclap rang out. She looked at the torn-out page in her hand before crumpling it up and tossing it into the fire.

Meanwhile, Eva was tossing and turning having a nightmare of her own.

She was back on land near the How where she had gone her first time in Narnia. Edmund was helping her train, and she was happy.

Suddenly, her surroundings darkened. She looked behind Edmund and there was the White Witch.

Eva had never seen the woman in person before. She had just seen her in a sheet of ice. She was much more terrifying when she was real.

"Edmund, darling. Come with me," she beckoned. "I will let you rule over all of Narnia. You'll be the king Caspian and Peter weren't. You'll have power they could never dream of having."

"Edmund, don't listen to her," Eva pleaded. "She's trying to trick you again."

"Come on, dear. Just take my hand. You know it's for the best."

Eva quickly took Edmund's hand. "Please, Edmund, don't do this. Don't you remember what she did to you? She tried to kill you. Twice!"

"But that was so long ago," Edmund said with his eyes on the Witch. "I think she's changed."

"She's a Witch! She can't change! She wants to hurt you and kill you."

"I deserve to be king, Eva. I've been in Narnia longer than Caspian, and I should have more power than he does."

"You're letting the idea of power get to your head. Please. I can't lose you."

"Then come with me."

Edmund took his hand out of hers and then took the Witch's hand.

"No, stop!" Eva cried.

"It's okay, Eva. She means the best. We can trust her. Come with us."

Edmund held his hand out for her, but Eva didn't move. "I'm sorry. I can't."

"I thought you cared for me."

"I do. I care for you more than anything. But I can't trust the Witch."

"Of course you can."

"No, I can't. Can't you see what she's doing?"

"She's trying to save us, Eva. Please join us."

Eva looked between Edmund and the White Witch. "I can't, Edmund."

"Suit yourself. I should've seen it before. You can't do what needs to be done."

"That's not true."

"This is the only way."

The White Witch smiled as she put one arm around Edmund's shoulders. Then she gave an evil smile to Eva and took a knife in her other hand before stabbing him in the back.

"NO!" Eva screamed.

Suddenly, she sprang up in her bed in Caspian's chambers gasping heavily.

"Eva, are you alright?" Lucy asked. "Nightmare?"

Eva got up from the bed and raced down below deck where Edmund was. "Edmund?" she called quietly. Her brow furrowed when she saw that he had his sword pointed at nothing. She had a bad feeling she knew what he had been seeing.

"Eva," he gasped quietly.

A bolt of thunder rang out that caused Caspian to jerk awake.

"Are you okay?" Edmund asked his girlfriend.

Eva ran up to him and hugged him tightly. She indulged in the feeling of having his arms around her, knowing that he was safe.

"We can't sleep," Lucy said quietly.

"Let me guess," Edmund said to her. "Bad dreams." Eva nodded lightly as she finally released him and sat on his hammock with her hand gripping his. "So either we're all going mad, or something is playing with our minds."

"How's Elizabeth?" Caspian asked the girls.

"I think she's still sleeping," Lucy answered.

"I'll go make sure she's okay. Clearly, none of us are."

Caspian got out of his hammock as Edmund continued to comfort Eva. When he walked into his chambers, Gael wasn't in the room, and he assumed that the young girl had gone to find her father because of the nightmares.

When he looked at Elizabeth, she was quietly whimpering and crying out in her sleep as she lightly thrashed around.

"Elizabeth," Caspian said softly as he touched her shoulder. "Elizabeth."

Elizabeth lightly gasped awake. "Your Majesty."

"I've told you that you can call me Caspian. It's alright. You were just having a bad dream."

"Right. A dream."

"All of us are having nightmares. I think it's what Coriakin was telling us about. None of us can sleep anymore." After a pause, he asked her, "If you don't mind my asking, what were you dreaming about?"

Elizabeth looked away from him. "Nothing."

"You can tell me."

"It's nothing worth telling."

"If you insist. Elizabeth, if you ever need to talk to someone, please know that I'm here for you."

Elizabeth gave him a small smile. "Thank you. Caspian."


	8. Temptations

After one of the most restless nights the whole crew had ever experienced, the storm finally ceased and the _Dawn Treader_ approached the next island. Most of the crew got into the boats and paddled to shore.

"I doubt the lords stopped here, my liege," Reepicheep said. "There's no sign of anything living."

"Right," Caspian said. "Well, once you get ashore, take your men and search for food and water. The five of us will look for clues."

"Hang on, you mean the six of us?" Eustace said. Everyone in the boat turned to look at him. "Come on, please don't send me back to the rat."

"I heard that!" Reepicheep said from the other boat.

"Big ears."

"I heard that too."

Everyone in the boats laughed at the two of them.

They reached the island and some of the men went to go search for anything they could eat or drink while Caspian, Lucy, Edmund, Eva, and Elizabeth went to see if they could find any of the lords.

"Look," Caspian exclaimed. They saw a rope tied to a rock that led down into a small crevasse. "We're not the first ones on this island."

"The lords?" Edmund asked.

"Could be." He took a rock and tossed it down the crevasse to see how far it went. "What do you think could be down there?"

"Let's find out."

Edmund went down the crevasse first and the others soon followed. They found a small cavern with a little pool inside. Something large was sitting inside the pool.

"What's that?" Caspian asked.

"I don't know," Edmund answered. "Looks like some sort of gold statue."

Edmund took a root hanging on one of the rocks and dipped it into the water. Suddenly, the root started turning into gold. Edmund quickly dropped the root into the water before it touched his hand.

Everyone looked at each other in disbelief.

"He must have fallen in," Caspian put together.

"Poor man," Lucy remarked.

Edmund looked over and saw a shield in the water that had turned into gold. "You mean, 'poor lord'."

"The crest of Lord Restimar," Caspian said.

"And his sword!"

"We need it."

"Be careful," Lucy told him.

"I second that," Eva said. "The last thing I need is my boyfriend turning into a gold statue."

Edmund took out his own sword and carefully used it to lift the other sword out of the water.

"Your sword hasn't turned to gold," Lucy noticed.

"Both the swords are magical," Caspian told her.

"Here." Edmund brought the sword over to Caspian who quickly took it before it dropped back into the pool.

Lucy looked at the man in the water. "He mustn't have known what hit him."

"Maybe. Or maybe he was onto something."

"What are you talking about?" Caspian asked.

Edmund took a seashell and dipped it into the pool. Then he quickly put it on the ground before it touched him. The shell quickly turned into gold. He carefully picked it up and looked at it. Eva didn't like that look in his eye.

"What are you staring at?" Lucy asked him.

Edmund continued to stare intently at the gold shell. "Whoever has access to this pool…could be the most powerful person in the world." Eva looked at Caspian and Lucy worriedly. Edmund then looked up at the two girls. "Lucy, we'd be so rich. No one could tell us what to do or who to live with. Eva, the two of us could ensure a future together. Like Elaine and Peter."

"You can't take anything out of Narnia, Edmund," Caspian said firmly.

"Says who?"

"I do."

Edmund stood up and looked at him furiously. "For your information, Peter and Elaine got to keep their wedding rings."

"That was different, and you know it."

"I'm not your subject."

"You've been waiting for this, haven't you? To challenge me. You doubt my leadership?"

"You doubt yourself."

"You're a child."

"Caspian…" Elizabeth said quickly. She lightly touched his arm, but he moved away from her touch.

"And you're a spineless sap!"

"Edmund!" Eva yelled.

"I'm tired of playing second fiddle. First it was Peter, and now it's you. You know I'm braver than both of you. So why do you get Peter's sword? I deserve a kingdom of my own! I deserve to rule!"

"If you think you're so brave…prove it!"

Caspian hit Edmund on the chest, and the two of them started furiously fighting each other with their swords.

Eva went up and put her hands across Edmund's chest while Elizabeth did the same for Caspian before either boy ended up doing something he regretted.

"Stop it!" Lucy cried as she stood between them. "Both of you! Look at yourselves. Can't you see what's happening? This place has tempted you. It's bewitching you. This is exactly what Coriakin was talking about. Let's just get out of here."

Lucy left and started climbing back up the rope. Caspian and Elizabeth followed suit. Edmund looked at the seashell in his hand.

"You have to let it go," Eva said gently. "We'll be okay without it."

Edmund tossed the seashell back into the pool and left the cavern with Eva. Once they were back above ground, Edmund's head cleared and he became aware of how foolish he had been.

"I'm sorry, Eva," he apologized. "I don't know what happened back there…"

"I know. But those emotions all had to come from somewhere. How long have you been feeling that way?"

"I don't know. I didn't even know I was harboring all that."

"You…you said you wanted a future together?"

"…Yeah, I do. We've been together for two years now. I know it's a bit soon to start hoping for something like Peter and Elaine have, but…"

Eva blushed as she smiled. "By the way, if you ever feel like you're 'second fiddle', just remember this."

She put her hands to his chest and lightly kissed him.

Edmund smiled a little. "I think I need another reminder."

Eva laughed and kissed him again.

"Oi, lovebirds!" Drinian called. "When you're quite finished, we could use your assistance over here!"

Eva and Edmund laughed together as they parted. Edmund put his arm around her shoulders and walked over to the beach.

"What food did you find?" Caspian asked.

"It's volcanic, Your Majesty," Rhince replied as he knelt down by the quarter-filled baskets. "Not much grows."

"Where's Eustace?" Lucy asked as she looked around.

"I believe he's out not helping us load the boats," Reepicheep responded.

"Eustace! Eustace!" Lucy turned to the others. "Edmund, I've got a bad feeling."

Edmund sighed. "I'll go find him."

"I'll come with you," Caspian said.

"I'll go too," Eva told them.

Caspian handed the newest sword to Lucy and set off with Eva and Edmund to find Eustace.

"Eustace?"

"Eustace!"

They came across a small canyon filled with various pieces of gold.

"Treasure?" Edmund asked.

"Trouble," Caspian said.

They went into the canyon, and Edmund's heart sank when he found a burnt shoe. "Eustace." He looked over and found a pile of burnt clothing that Eva recognized immediately. "No." He picked up the clothes and found Eustace's singed journal. "Oh, cousin."

"I'm sorry," Caspian said sadly.

Eva knelt down and rubbed his shoulders to comfort him.

"He was just a boy. I never should have left him. What could have happened to him?"

"In this place? Anything." Caspian stood up and walked a little ways away from them. "And he wasn't the first." They looked over to find a fully-clothed skeleton. "It's Lord Octesian. We should find his—" He turned to find Edmund picking up the next sword. "…sword."

The three of them sadly started to return to the beach, uneager to have to tell Lucy what had happened to her cousin.


	9. Eustace is a Dragon

Meanwhile on the ship, an unearthly roar echoed throughout the air, making all the crew members jump.

"What was that?" Lucy asked Drinian.

There was a puff of fire from the island.

"Is it the volcano?" Gael asked.

"Oh, no. That's no volcano," Drinian said ominously. "All hands on deck there! Archers, arm yourselves!"

The crew members frantically tried to pass out crossbows to each other.

Elizabeth's mouth dropped open as a huge dragon came into view! Lucy clutched onto Gael protectively while Elizabeth prayed that the others were all right.

"Take your positions and wait for my command!"

The dragon flew up and landed on the top of the sails.

"What's it doing?!" Lucy screamed.

"Fire!" Drinian ordered. "He'll break the mast. Hold your positions!"

The dragon seemed to be trying to hang onto the sails for whatever reason. Reepicheep climbed up the mast and stabbed the dragon in the hand. The dragon fell off the sails and flew back towards the island.

Back on land, Caspian, Edmund, and Eva had finally reached the beach and were about to get into the boat to get back to the ship.

Caspian looked behind him and saw a dragon coming for them.

"Eva, get down!" he yelled as he forced the girl to duck. The dragon continued forward. "Edmund! Ed!"

Edmund looked behind him too late and the dragon swept him up in his claws!

"EDMUND, NO!" Eva screamed at the top of her lungs.

The dragon carried Edmund towards the _Dawn Treader_. Lucy's eyes widened when she realized what it had in its hands.

"Edmund!" she screamed.

"Lucy! Lucy!"

Elizabeth quickly put her arm around Lucy's shoulders, hoping and praying that somehow Edmund would be okay. But the possibility of that was quite unlikely.

Eva was about to burst into tears, sure that Edmund was dead. She had never even gotten to tell him she loved him! To her disbelief, the dragon came back to the beach. Edmund was still alive!

"It's okay!" Edmund yelled to her and Caspian. "It's okay."

The dragon touched down onto the beach and put Edmund back on land. Eva ran over to him and threw her arms around his neck. She didn't release him for quite a while.

"I thought you were dead," she whispered.

"It's all right," he said when they finally broke apart. "This dragon…is Eustace."

"What?" Eva exclaimed.

Caspian started motioning for the other crew members to come on land. As Drinian looked through his telescope, he couldn't believe his eyes. Caspian was telling them to come on land when a dragon was there?

But he trusted his king and obediently went onto the island with some other crew members including Lucy and Elizabeth.

"He must have been tempted by the treasure," Edmund told the others.

"Anyone knows a dragon's treasure is enchanted," Caspian said. Eustace growled at him. "Well, anyone from…here."

Lucy slowly approached Eustace and took off the gold bracelet on his arm. He let out a growl, but it was clear he was relieved that it was off. It had been tearing away at his new skin.

"Is there any way to change him back?" Edmund asked.

"Not that I know of," Caspian answered.

"Aunt Alberta will not be pleased."

"Sorry about the hand, old boy," Reepicheep apologized. "I…can be a little overzealous sometimes."

"You? Overzealous?" Eva joked. "I never would've believed it."

"The boats are ready, sire," Tavros called.

"We can't leave him alone," Lucy stated.

"Well, we can't bring him on board, Your Majesty," Drinian countered.

Caspian looked at the others and handed Drinian his sword. "Drinian, you and the others take one boat back. The rest of us will stay here till morning and…work out what to do."

"But you've no provisions," Rhince told him. "And no means of staying warm, Your Majesty."

Eustace growled and lit a small stick on fire with his breath.

"You were saying?" Reepicheep smiled.

Everyone looked at the small fire and laughed.

As the group on land started to make camp, Elizabeth went over to Eustace.

"I bet you weren't expecting this to happen when your cousins visited," she said tenderly. "I know I certainly wasn't."

Eustace refused to look at her.

"Well, the one good thing about this is that you don't have any nasty comebacks for me when I talk to you." She went a little closer to him. "I always tried to be your friend, Eustace. But you could never see me as anything but a maid. And now even though you've turned into a dragon…I won't make fun of you, I won't make any sarcastic remarks, and I won't stop trying to be your friend."

She slowly extended her hand towards him and rubbed his scaly skin in a comforting manner. To her surprise, he actually allowed it.

Eva and Edmund rested next to each other and began looking up at the stars. Elizabeth and Caspian sat next to them.

"I've never seen these constellations before," Edmund remarked.

"Me neither," Caspian replied. "We're a long way from home. When I was a boy, I used to imagine sailing to the end of the world. Finding my father there."

"Maybe you will."

Eva rested her head on Edmund's chest as his hand started stroking her arm. "I miss Susan, Peter, and Elaine," she said.

"Yeah. I do too."

"I feel bad that they didn't get to come to Narnia with us."

"They have their own lives now. Peter and Elaine are getting married…again. And Susan is off in America."

"Even still…"

"Eva, if you don't mind me asking, what did you dream about last night?"

Eva sighed. "The White Witch."

"Really? You too?"

"I had a nightmare that she killed you when you gave in to her. I guess I'm always afraid that she's going to say something that really draws you in, and then I'll lose you."

Edmund pulled her closer to him. "As long as I have you with me, you won't lose me to her."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

Caspian draped a blanket around Elizabeth's shoulders. She gave him a small smile as he sat next to her.

"Here." Caspian took one of the swords they had retrieved earlier. "Take this."

"No, no, I couldn't."

"Just for the time being. Until we get to Aslan's Table. You'll need it."

"Thank you."

"You've earned it."

"Oh, no, I haven't."

"Of course you have. If anything, you deserve it just for putting up with Eustace for so long. Not only that, but you have shown great courage ever since you came here. You're a natural swordfighter. In the times I've spent training you, you picked up the skill very quickly. It has been a pleasure to be your teacher."

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I'm glad I am able to please you."

"You've also become more confident and sure of yourself. You have been making a personal journey of your own here in Narnia."

Elizabeth smiled shyly. "I'm honored that you think so highly of me, Your Majesty."

"You must now learn to think highly of yourself."

Elizabeth looked over at Caspian. He had really been nothing but nice to her since they had first met. It was certainly a nice change. Sure, Edmund, Lucy, and Eva were kind, but with Caspian, it was just different.

She knew that he liked being around her. He enjoyed the time they spent training together. Never before had she had someone feel that way about her.

As she rested on her blanket, she heard Reepicheep talking to Eustace. "Trouble sleeping?" Eustace growled lowly. "Now now…all is not lost as it seems. I'll stay up with you if you wish. Keep you company. I'll wager you didn't even believe in dragons this morning. Yes. You know, extraordinary things only happen to extraordinary people. Maybe it's a sign! That you've got an extraordinary destiny. Something…something greater than you could have imagined."

Elizabeth smiled to herself. She liked the way Reepicheep talked to Eustace. He got him to open up in a way that no one else could do.

"I can tell you one or two of my adventures if you like, just to past the time. Believe it or not, you're not the first dragon I've encountered. Many years ago, too many than I care to mention, I was with a band of pirates. I met another dragon much fiercer than you…"

As Reepicheep continued with his story, Elizabeth closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.


	10. Caspian and Elizabeth

"Everybody! Everybody wake up!" Lucy cried happily.

Elizabeth opened her eyes and began blushing furiously when she realized that during the night, she had moved closer to Caspian and had been sleeping on his shoulder. She refused to look at him as she stood up.

"It's the Blue Star!"

Everyone looked over, and sure enough, a small blue light was in the sky, pointing to the way where they needed to go.

They all boarded the _Dawn Treader_ again and took off in the direction of the star.

Unfortunately, things didn't go exactly as planned. Soon the ship wouldn't budge without others rowing below deck.

"The wind has left us," Drinian said.

"So how do we get to Ramandu's Island now then?" Edmund asked.

"My guess is something doesn't want us to get there."

The crew members quickly started getting restless as the food portions became smaller and smaller.

"If I get any hungrier, I'm gonna eat that dragon!" one crew member yelled in frustration.

"You will do that over my dead body," Eva said with a sharp glare. "He may be a dragon, but he's my friend."

The crew member bowed his head. "Apologies, my Lady."

"It's alright. I know we're all just on our last nerve."

Drinian came back up to them. "If we don't get to landfall by tonight, they may well eat that—"

The ship suddenly lurched heavily causing everyone one board to go sprawling. Edmund caught Eva while Caspian caught Elizabeth.

"What'd we hit?" Drinian asked.

Everyone went to the side of the ship to see that Eustace was using his tail to pull the ship along!

"Eustace, that's brilliant!" Edmund called.

The crew members started cheering for Eustace. Elizabeth knew that had to have felt good to him. He hadn't had someone praise him for something worthwhile in a really long time. Perhaps this was even the first time.

Caspian went to his chambers while Edmund and Eva were together on the balcony outside the room.

"We can't be sure the other lords even made it to Ramandu's Island," Caspian muttered.

Eva went next to him. "If they haven't, we will just keep looking for them. We've found all the others. In rather unfortunate circumstances, but we found them. Just have faith."

They approached Ramandu's Island which ended up being far more intimidating than it looked on the outside.

Everyone on the _Dawn Treader_ disembarked and began making their way deeper and deeper into the island.

They ended up coming before an archway made by an old tree. Through the archway was a long table with a lot of delicious-looking food on it.

"Mmm…food," Tavros said hungrily.

"Wait," Drinian told him.

Edmund shone his flashlight on the far end of the table and gasped when the light shone upon three bearded men covered in vines.

Elizabeth gasped at the sight of the men and unconsciously put her hand on Caspian's. Once she realized what she had done, she quickly pulled away. Caspian chose not to acknowledge it.

He edged closer to the men and looked at the crest on the ring of one of the men's fingers. "Lord Revilian," he remarked. He then looked at the other crests. "Lord Mavramorn. Lord Argoz."

Lucy moved the hair out of one of the lords' eyes and lightly gasped when she felt movement.

Caspian leaned closer to the lord. "He's breathing!"

Edmund looked at the other lords and saw their chests rising up and down. "So are they. They're under a spell."

Caspian quickly shot up and held out his hand. "It's the food!"

Tavros awkwardly dropped the apple he was holding as the other men took a step back.

"Hey, it's the stone knife!" Edmund exclaimed as he shone his light on the small object. "This is Aslan's Table!"

"The swords. On the Table."

Lucy took the swords away from the lords at the Table while Caspian, Edmund, and Elizabeth put down the swords they had been carrying.

"That's six," Edmund said.

"Still missing one," Caspian added.

The swords began to turn a light blue color, and so did the rest of the place.

"Look!" Lucy exclaimed as she looked up.

The others followed suit and found a bright blue orb floating down to where they were. Once down to their level, the orb turned into a beautiful young woman with a light blue glow about her.

"Travelers of Narnia, welcome," she said to them kindly. Everyone respectfully bowed down to her. "Arise. Are you not hungry?"

"Who are you?" Edmund asked.

"I am Liliandil. Daughter of Ramandu. I am your guide."

"You're a star," Caspian said. Liliandil looked at him and smiled as she nodded. "You are most beautiful."

"If it is a distraction for you, I can change form."

"No," Caspian and Edmund said together.

Eva looked at Edmund sharply as she raised an eyebrow. Realizing that he had begun to dig himself into a hole, Edmund put his arm around her shoulders. That satisfied her enough.

Elizabeth couldn't help but envy the woman for looking so flawless. She wished that she could hear that she was beautiful from someone.

"Please," Liliandil smiled. "The food is for you." She waved her hands and the candles were lit. "There is enough for all who are welcome at Aslan's Table. Always. Help yourselves."

The men started reaching for the food. "Wait," Edmund said quickly. He motioned over to the lords. "What happened to them?"

"These poor men were half mad by the time they reached our shores. They were threatening violence upon each other. Violence is forbidden at the Table of Aslan. So they were sent to sleep."

"Will they ever wake?" Lucy asked.

"When all is put right. Come. There is little time."

The crew members began to eat the food on the table while Caspian, Elizabeth, Eva, Edmund, and Lucy followed Liliandil to another part of the island. They ended up on a worn lookout perch where they could see out across the ocean.

"The magician, Coriakin, told you of Dark Island?" Liliandil asked.

"Yes," Caspian answered.

They all looked out across the water where an island sat, shrouded in green mist and fog. That was the island they had been dreading reaching.

"Before long, the evil will be unstoppable."

"Coriakin said to break the spell, we lay the seven swords on Aslan's Table."

"He speaks the truth."

"But we found only six," Edmund said. "Do you know where the seventh is?"

Liliandil pointed to Dark Island. "In there."

"Of course it is," Eva muttered. "Because why would it be anywhere else? Heaven forbid our journey be simple…"

"You will need great courage. Now, waste no time."

"I hope we meet again," Caspian told her.

Liliandil smiled at him. "Goodbye." She transformed back into an orb and shot up into the sky where she belonged.

They returned to Aslan's Table and helped themselves to the food since they were all starving from the severe lack of rations for the past few weeks.

Once they returned to the ship, Caspian stood up at the wheel and faced his crew. "Men and ladies, get plenty of rest tonight. Tomorrow, we journey into Dark Island to find the seventh sword and possibly the last lord. It will be perilous, so you must be on your guard."

He stepped down and started towards the State Room while everyone headed to their beds and hammocks.

"Elizabeth," Caspian said. "May I speak with you, please?"

Elizabeth nodded as she headed into the State Room with him. "Is there something wrong?"

"I want to help you, Elizabeth. We're about to go to a place where all of our worst fears are going to come to light. But I can't help you unless I know what the problem is."

"Your Majesty…"

"I'll even tell you what my biggest fear is if that will help. That my father would be disappointed in me if he was still here. That he would think I'm not the king he wants me to be. That I'll never be good enough for him."

Elizabeth paused. "Your Majesty…I am not worthy to talk to you, much less be alone with you."

"That's not true, and I think you know that now. Elizabeth, what is the mist making you dream of?"

Elizabeth turned so that her back was to him, afraid to look at him as she began her story. "I haven't always for worked for Lucy and Edmund's aunt and uncle. I used to work for another family. The mother went away during the day, but the father stayed at home to do his work. And he worked me so very, very hard. And then when I wasn't good enough or quick enough for him, he…he hit me. Broke my arm once, gave me a black eye several times, pushed me down the stairs twice. Left me with countless bruises. The mother didn't know, and the children were too young to understand that what he was doing to me wasn't right. That's why working for Eustace isn't so bad. Because at least he never physically hurts me."

Caspian could not believe what he was hearing. How could someone even lay on a hand on Elizabeth with the intention of hurting her? She had been nothing but kind since the moment he met her even throughout all of the turmoil they had been through on their journey.

He went up to her and gently touched her shoulder. She flinched a little at his touch. When she turned around to face him again, his heart broke at the sight of the tears resting on her cheeks.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty. I didn't mean to unload all that on you."

"It's all right. I wanted to know. Do Edmund and Lucy know about this?"

"No, and I must ask you not to tell them. If they ever do find out…I want them to hear it from me."

Caspian took a step towards her. "Elizabeth, I will never hurt you like that. I promise. Nor will I ever let anyone do that to you ever again."

Elizabeth's breath hitched in her throat as she saw the way he was looking at her. He started moving closer to her, but she quickly moved away from him.

"Your Majesty, I am not worthy of you. You belong with a queen or a princess like Lilliandil. Not me. Not a simple…servant."

"Elizabeth, why is it so hard for you to see yourself as more than you think you are?"

Elizabeth sighed heavily. "I'm just not important. You deserve someone so much better than me."

Caspian went up to her again. "You are beautiful. Inside and out. And that's all I've ever wanted. If anything, I am unworthy of you."

Elizabeth felt her heart skip a beat. He had called her beautiful. "I…"

"Can you look me in the eye and honestly tell me that you do not love me?"

Elizabeth looked away from him. "I cannot love you."

"That is not what I asked." He took her chin in his hand and gently forced her to look at him. "Do you love me?"

Elizabeth looked right into his warm brown eyes and found that she could not lie to him. "Yes."

Caspian smiled and pressed his lips to hers in a soft and tender kiss. As tears continued to make trails down her cheeks, she realized for the first time in a long time that she was beautiful and she actually did matter.


	11. Sea Monster

Early in the morning, the crew was awoken in order to face the last and most sinister island. Everyone was on deck looking ahead of them as they sailed right into the surrounding fog.

"So what do you think is in there?" Tavros asked.

"Our worst nightmares," Edmund answered.

"Our darkest wishes," Caspian added.

Drinian looked over at them. "Pure evil."

Elizabeth stood next to Caspian and looked up at him. While she was terrified at what they were about to face, she was confident that she at least had Caspian by her side through it. A part of her was convinced that the events of the previous night were only a wonderful dream. But the kiss that Caspian had delivered to her that morning reminded her that it was all true.

Drinian walked over to the minotaur. "Tavros, unlock the armory."

"My lord."

Tavros went off to complete his orders as Drinian looked out at the other men. "Archers, prepare yourselves."

"Light the lanterns!" Tavros ordered.

Caspian looked at Edmund. "Let's get ready."

Lucy and Elizabeth went to the State Room while Caspian, Edmund, and Eva went to Caspian's chambers.

As Lucy put her dagger and healing cordial on the belt she tied around her waist, Gael said behind her, "When I grow up, I want to be just like you."

Lucy froze for a second and then turned to the girl with a smile. She walked over to her and put her arm around her. "When you grow up, you should be just like you."

Elizabeth smiled. "Lucy, thank you for being so kind to me all this time. You have no idea how much it means to me."

"I'm glad you were brought here, Elizabeth. It's been nice to have you with us."

Meanwhile in Caspian's chambers, Caspian, Edmund, and Eva began putting on some armor along with their weapons.

"In case we don't get through, whatever this is…" Caspian started. "I want you to know I think of the both of you as my brother and sister."

"Me too," Edmund said.

"Me three," Eva added with a small smile. She was terrified about what was about to happen, but she was determined to see it through. She would save Narnia with the help of the others, just like before.

Caspian began to help Edmund put on his armor as Edmund did the same for Eva. "You gave up your sword," Caspian said.

"It wasn't mine to keep," Edmund replied.

Caspian went over to his cabinet and took out a very special sword. "Use this."

"But it's—"

"Peter would want you to have it."

Eva smiled broadly. "There's no one more deserving."

Edmund took the sword and put it around his waist. Caspian left the two of them alone in the room.

"I have to be honest," Eva said. "I'm scared."

"I know. We all are."

"There's no one I would rather have by my side than you."

Eva wrapped her arms around him and kissed him firmly on the lips. She felt his arms go around her waist and gently pull her towards him. They stayed together and cherished the seconds they had since neither of them knew what lay ahead.

Hands intertwined, they returned to the deck where everyone was gathered to listen to Caspian.

"No matter what happens here, every soul who stands before me has earned their place on the crew of the _Dawn Treader_. Together, we have traveled far. Together, we have faced adversity. Together…we can do it again. So now is not the time to fall into fear's temptations. Be strong! Never give in. Our world, our Narnian lives, depend on it. Think of the lost souls we are here to save. Think of Aslan. Think of Narnia."

"For Narnia!" Drinian yelled as Caspian descended the steps.

"For Narnia!" everyone else joined in.

Eva threw up her and Edmund's hands. "For Narnia!"

Elizabeth smiled broadly as she met Caspian's eyes. "For Narnia!"

By now, the ship had entered the island and the fog was as thick as blood. Eva looked around and saw the green mist begin to float around them.

"I can't see a thing," Drinian said to Caspian. "This fog's too thick."

Caspian flinched next to Elizabeth. "Caspian?" she said as she gently put her hand on his shoulder. He looked back at her and sighed. Knowing what he was facing, she said softly, "I think he would be proud of you."

Elizabeth looked at the mist that surrounded her, and her heart sank as she saw it materialize into an all-too-familiar face.

"You think this man actually loves you?" her former owner taunted. "Who could ever love someone like you, you worthless piece of garbage?"

"Elizabeth!" Caspian said urgently.

Elizabeth gasped as she turned to him. She looked back to find that the mist had disappeared from her.

"He will not hurt you anymore. Don't listen to what he's saying."

Elizabeth took a deep breath as she nodded slightly.

This was going to be harder than they thought.

"Go away," Edmund said. "You're dead."

Eva looked at him. "Edmund, it's all right," she said gently.

He turned and looked up where the steering wheel was. "No!"

"Edmund!" Edmund spun around and looked at Eva again. She took his hand in hers. "She can't hurt you. Not if you don't let her."

"Yeah…"

Suddenly, an eerie moaning echoed throughout the air. Everyone ran to the side of the ship to try to find out what was making the noise. The archers all loaded their crossbows and prepared to fire.

"Keep away! Keep away!"

"Who's there?" Edmund called.

"We do not fear you!" Caspian yelled.

"Nor I you!" the mysterious voice yelled back.

Edmund took his flashlight and shined it out on the nearby rock to reveal a very unkempt man who looked like he had lost his mind. On this island, he probably had.

"Keep away!"

"We will not leave," Caspian said firmly.

"You will not defeat me!"

The light from the flashlight reflected off the object he was holding. "Caspian!" Edmund said. "Caspian, his sword!"

"Lord Rhoop!" Caspian quickly came down the steps to the side of the ship.

"You do not own me!"

"Stand down." The archers held up their crossbows. "Let's get him onboard quickly!"

Some crew members prepared to throw across some harnesses so they could get close to the man, but Eustace flew up behind him and swept him up in his claws before placing him onboard.

The man quickly stood up and aimed his sword at them.

"Be calm, my lord," Caspian said cautiously.

"Off me, demon!"

"No, my lord. We are not here to hurt you. I am your king, Caspian."

"Caspian?" the man muttered. He turned around and smiled. "My lord?" He quickly began to turn frantic once more. "You should not have come. There's no way out of here. Quickly, turn this ship about before it's too late."

"We have the sword. Let's go!" Edmund said.

"Let's turn her about, Drinian!" Caspian ordered.

"Aye-aye, Your Majesty," Drinian answered as he went up to the wheel.

"Do not think!" Lord Rhoop yelled to the crew. "Do not let it know your fears, or it will become them!"

Edmund closed his eyes and swallowed hard. "Oh, no."

"Edmund, what did you just think of?" Lucy asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

He and Eva ran to the side of the ship, and to their horror, they saw movement in the water. Suddenly, the ship jolted to the side and all of the crew members went tumbling to the deck.

"Look!" Caspian exclaimed as he pointed to the water. "What is that?"

"It's too late," Lord Rhoop muttered. "It's too late!"

Lucy turned around. "Gael!" she screamed to the girl who had gone to the other side of the deck.

The creature shot out of the water to reveal the head of a terrifying sea monster. Eva looked at the creature in disgust as she became even more frightened than before. How were they possibly going to defeat something like this?

Lucy grabbed Gael from the side of the ship and clung onto her as the men pointed their swords and crossbows at the thing. Eustace came behind the monster and breathed fire on it. Then he flew back and landed on the sea monster's head as he tried to sink his claws into its face. The sea monster knocked into the ship several times as it tried to get Eustace off.

"Eustace, hold on!" Elizabeth screamed.

Finally, the sea monster flung Eustace off its face which sent him flying over the ship. When he started flying back over, the sea monster grabbed him with its mouth and plunged into the water.

"NO!" Elizabeth screamed.

The sea monster came back up with Eustace still in his mouth. Then he flung Eustace into the nearby rock. Eustace breathed fire on the sea monster's face again as it came for him which forced the creature to go back into the water.

"Out, creature!" Lord Rhoop yelled in a frenzy. He threw the sword in Eustace's direction.

"No, the sword! The sword!" Caspian yelled.

The sword sank deep into Eustace's flesh.

"Eustace!" Elizabeth and Lucy cried.

Eustace started to fly away from them.

"No, come back!" Lucy pleaded.

Lord Rhoop went up the steering wheel. "We are doomed. Doomed! Turn this ship about."

He pushed away the helmsman and began trying to steer the ship himself. They all lurched as the ship turned sharply. Drinian punched Lord Rhoop in the face to get him knocked out and calmed down.

"Now, crew, to your rowing positions. Oars at double speed," he ordered.

The sea monster shot back up out of the water and started wrapping its body around the ship with the intention of crushing it.

"Elizabeth!" Caspian yelled. He tossed her a sword for her to use to defend herself.

Lucy grabbed Gael and rushed her into Caspian's chambers. She grabbed Susan's bow and arrows and Elaine's staff.

"Now you must stay here until someone comes and gets you, okay?" she told Gael before running back to the deck.

"Ed! Eva!" Caspian yelled from the wheel. "We'll ram the serpent. Smash him on the rocks!"

"Steer her to port!" Edmund yelled. "We'll keep it on the prow!"

"Eva!" Lucy cried.

Eva turned and Lucy tossed her Elaine's staff. She looked at the weapon as her fingers wrapped around it. Determined to make its original owner proud, she held it firmly and ran after Edmund.

Edmund squeezed himself as far out as he could go on the bow and turned on his flashlight to signal the sea monster. "Try and kill me, come on! Come on, I'm here!"

The sea monster lunged for him and snapped off the portion of the bow he was sitting on.

"No!" Lucy screamed.

"Edmund!" Caspian and Eva yelled.

Edmund climbed onto the top of the bow and held onto one of the ropes. "I'm still here!"

Eva climbed to where Edmund was and used the staff to hit the sea monster which caused it to let out a loud growl.

An arrow suddenly came flying past them and lodged into the sea monster's eye. Eva whipped around to find Lucy with Susan's bow in her hand. She nodded to the girl who nodded back.

"Brace yourselves!" Caspian shouted.

The ship rammed into the rock making the sea monster shriek in such a way that was sure to give Eva nightmares for weeks to come.

Edmund and Eva lost their perch on the bow and came crashing down on to the hard deck.

"Edmund!" Eva cried as she quickly went over to him. She shook his shoulders and placed her hand to his head. "You're okay! You did it!"

"We both did."

She helped him back up onto his feet again as Caspian came over to them.

The sea monster looked at all of them before its body opened up to reveal many squirming tendrils. It was utterly disgusting.

"Move!" Caspian yelled. He ran over and tackled Edmund and Eva before the sea monster killed them. He then grabbed a sword and cut off one of the tendrils. The tendril turned into the green mist and disappeared. "We can beat this."


	12. The Battle is Won

Eustace crashed onto a sandbar, unable to fly anymore from the pain the sword still lodged in his flesh was giving him.

He opened his eyes and saw a lion approaching him. After so long, he was finally seeing the Great Lion he had heard his cousins talk about so much in person. He felt ashamed and unworthy to be in his presence after having such an awful disposition for so long. Yet at the same time, he felt as if none of that mattered because Aslan felt compassion for him anyway.

He clawed at his own skin, trying desperately to do something to change his appearance, but nothing happened.

Aslan clawed the sand lightly and suddenly, claw marks appeared on Eustace's skin. It really hurt, but at the same time, he knew it was necessary. Aslan repeated the action twice more and several more claw marks appeared on his body.

Aslan then let out a tremendous roar that hurt Eustace's ears. He felt himself lifted into the air and everything burned as he felt himself begin to change.

When the transformation was complete, he crashed down onto the ground of Ramandu's Island, unconscious.

After merely a few seconds, his eyes popped open again. He felt his body, relieved that he had been changed back and still unsure of how exactly that had happened.

But celebrations would have to wait. He looked around him and found the sword that had previously been embedded in his skin.

He knew what he had to do.

Eustace ran to Aslan's Table as fast as he could. As he approached, all of the swords began to glow a bright blue. He went to place the final sword with them, but the green mist knocked him back.

No. After all that had happened, he was not going to give up.

He furiously swung the sword at the mist and using all the strength he could muster, he reached out and placed the final sword on the table.

* * *

"We have to get it closer," Edmund said.

"All hands to the main deck!" Drinian yelled to the crew members.

"Ready the harpoons!" Caspian ordered.

Edmund and Eva swung on a rope on opposite ends of the ship in order to land on the ladders that led up to the crow's nest.

Several crew members launched harpoons at the sea monster and the weapons lodged themselves into the sea monster's body.

Edmund and Eva made it up to the crow's nest and fought to keep their balance as the sea monster crashed into the mast.

When they stood back up, Eva looked at Edmund and saw him staring intently at nothing. But she knew exactly what he was seeing.

"Edmund," she said firmly and pleadingly. "Edmund, whatever she's saying to you, it's not true."

"Edmund!" Caspian yelled from below. "Do it!"

"She's trying to trick you just like she did all those years ago. But you are stronger than her and you always have been. You're the one who broke her staff during the Battle of Beruna. You're the one who defeated her when Peter and Caspian were trapped under her spell."

The sea monster fought back and several crew members went flying when they couldn't hold the ropes from the harpoons any longer.

"Edmund, I want you to listen to me. I love you. And I am not going to lose you to her."

At those words, Edmund turned to look at her in surprise. Did she just say what he thought she said?

Down below, Elizabeth was holding her sword firmly in front of her to protect herself when the green mist came next to her again.

"You can't help," her owner sneered. "Who do you think you are? Someone important? A queen? You will never be anything more than a maid who amounts to nothing. You insignificant little girl! Stop trying to pretend that you matter! You will die alone and unloved! Because no one could ever love you! Listen to me, girl, I _own_ you!"

Edmund's sword suddenly turned blue in his hands while the same happened to Elaine's staff.

"Do it!" Caspian screamed.

Edmund and Eva turned to face the sea monster. "Come on!"

Elizabeth faced the figure made from the green mist. "You're wrong. You were always wrong, and you always will be wrong. And I was a fool to ever listen to you. You will _never_ own me!"

The sea monster lunged towards Edmund and Eva. With a scream, Elizabeth threw her sword in the sea monster's direction and it sank into its body. On the crow's nest, Edmund plunged his sword into the sea monster's mouth as Eva stabbed him with Elaine's staff. The image of her owner let out a cry of defeat before vanishing. Electrifying green light crackled around the monster and it fell into the ocean where it turned into mist and disappeared.

Eva flung her arms around Edmund's neck as she kissed him happily.

Rays of light broke through the darkness as the mist, fog, and black clouds began to dissipate.

"The spell," Lucy said. "It's lifting! Edmund! Caspian! Look!"

As everything began to clear, they looked over to find the missing boats from the Lone Islands.

"Narnians!" Caspian exclaimed. "Narnians!"

The crew members began cheering loudly.

Gael came out on deck with her father and looked out at the boats. Then she saw a face she recognized. "Mummy!"

"Helaine!" Rhince yelled.

The two of them jumped off the ship into the water and swam over to their mother and wife.

Edmund put his arm around Eva's shoulders as they watched the happy reunion.

"Eva," Edmund began. "About what you said up there…"

Eva blushed furiously. "I meant it."

"I hope so. Because I have wanted to tell you that I love you for so long."

"What? Why didn't you?"

"I was waiting for you to say it first."

"I was waiting for _you_ to say it first!"

The two of them smiled at each other. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Edmund and Eva shared a kiss, this time as two people who could finally admit their love.

"Let's have them onboard. Clear the decks!" Caspian ordered. He and Elizabeth came over to the others.

"I think Peter would be proud," Eva smiled.

Caspian smiled back. "All of them would be."

"We did it," Lucy said. "I knew we would."

"It wasn't just us, though," Edmund remarked.

Caspian looked at him. "You mean…?"

"Hey!" they heard. "Hey, I'm down here! Lucy! Over here! Lucy! Elizabeth! I'm in the water! Lucy!"

They all went over to the other side of the ship and looked down into the water to find Eustace returned to his former state. Caspian put his arm around Elizabeth.

"Eustace!" Lucy exclaimed.

"I'm a boy again. I'm a boy!"

"Eustace!" Reepicheep cried happily. "I see your wings have been clipped." He jumped into the water to join him as he began singing. " _Where the sky and water meet, where the waves grow ever sweet!_ " He tasted the water. "It _is_ sweet. It's sweet!" He looked over where a beautiful sight awaited them. "Look. Look!"

"Aslan's Country," Caspian said. "We must be close."

"Well, we've come this far," Edmund told him.

They all got into one of the rowboats and began paddling through the flowers in the ocean to reach the place they had always been searching for.

"So what was it like?" Edmund asked Eustace. "When Aslan changed you back?"

"No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't do it myself," Eustace explained. "Then he came towards me. It sort of hurt, but it was a good pain. You know, like when you pull a thorn from your foot. Being a dragon wasn't all bad. I mean, I think I was a better dragon than I was a boy, really. I'm so sorry for being such a sop. Especially to you, Elizabeth."

"It's all right, Eustace," Elizabeth said with a smile. She never thought she would hear those words from him.

"You were a pretty good dragon," Edmund added with a smirk.

"My friends, we have arrived," Reepicheep said.


	13. One Journey Ends While Another Begins

They rowed the boat ashore and came across what looked to be a wave that would never crash down. They began to walk towards it, hoping for the answers they had been seeking.

"Aslan," Eustace said.

Everyone turned to find the Great Lion behind them.

Elizabeth could not believe that she was so close to the one she had heard Edmund, Eva, and Lucy talk endlessly about at home. What they had always said was true. There were no words to describe how it felt to be near him.

"Welcome, children," Aslan said. "You have done well. Very well indeed. You have come far, and now your journey is at its end."

"Is this your Country?" Lucy asked.

"No. My Country lies beyond."

When Eva tried to see over the wave, it just went up higher, as if knowing that she wanted to see what was there but not allowing her access.

"Is my father in your Country?" Caspian asked. His tone suggested that he was almost afraid of the answer.

"You can only find that out for yourself, my son. But you should know that if you continue, there is no return."

Caspian slowly went up to the wave and put his hand through it. But he never went through. He turned back around and Elizabeth saw tears in his eyes. She slowly went up to him and took his hand.

"You're not going?" Edmund asked.

"I can't imagine my father would be very proud that I gave up what he died for. I spent too long wanting what was taken from me and not what was given. I was given a kingdom. A people." He squeezed Elizabeth's hand as he faced Aslan. "I promise to be a better king."

Aslan smiled warmly. "You already are." He turned to Edmund, Eva, and Lucy. "Children."

"I think perhaps it's time we went home actually, Lu," Edmund said.

"But I thought you loved it here," Lucy said in confusion.

"I do! But I love home and our family as well. They need us."

"I agree," Eva told her. "I love it here so much. But I already miss Peter and Elaine and Susan. And I want to see my parents again someday."

Reepicheep cleared his throat and then approached Aslan. "Your Eminence," he said with a bow. "Ever since I can remember, I've dreamt of seeing your Country. I have had many great adventures in this world, but nothing has dampened that yearning. I know I am hardly worthy, but with your permission, I would lay down my sword for the joy of seeing your Country…with my own eyes."

Aslan smiled again. "My Country was made for noble hearts such as yours. No matter how small their bearers be."

Reepicheep bowed again. "Your Majesty."

"No one could be more deserving," Caspian said.

"Well, I…"

"It's true," Edmund added. He and Eva gave Reepicheep a small bow.

Lucy walked up to him and knelt down in front of him. "May I?"

"Well, I suppose. Just this—" Lucy swept him up in her arms and hugged him tightly. "Goodbye, Lucy."

Eustace then went and took Lucy's place in front of the mouse. Elizabeth was surprised to hear him stifling sobs.

"Don't cry," Reepicheep said gently.

"I don't understand. Will…will I not see you again? Ever?"

"What a magnificent puzzle you are. And a true hero. It has been my honor to fight beside such a brave warrior. And a great friend." He looked over at Elizabeth. "I'm pleased to have met your acquaintance, madam. I believe you shall do great things in the future."

Elizabeth smiled warmly as Eustace stood back up. Reepicheep scampered over to the giant wave where a small boat was waiting for him. He removed his sword from his belt and hopped in. Then he paddled up the wave and soon disappeared from view. He was now in Aslan's Country.

Eva gently put her arm around Eustace as tears ran down his cheeks at the bittersweet good-bye.

Lucy looked at Aslan sadly. "This is our last time here, isn't it?"

"Yes," Aslan answered gently. "You have grown up, my dear one. Just like Peter and Elaine and Susan."

"Will you visit us in our world?"

"I shall be watching you always."

"How?"

"In your world, I have another name. You must learn to know me by it. That was the very reason you were brought to Narnia. That by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there."

"Will we meet again?"

"Yes, dear one. One day."

Aslan roared loudly and a hole opened up in the wave that was their way home. The others circled around Caspian.

"You are the closest thing I have to family," he said to them. He smiled at Eustace and clapped him on the shoulder. "And that includes you, Eustace."

"Thank you," Eustace smiled.

Caspian hugged Edmund tightly, and Eva realized how much of a brotherly bond the two of them shared. It could almost rival the bond between him and Peter.

When they released, Eva hugged Caspian as she fought back tears once the reality hit her that this was the last time she would ever see him.

While Caspian hugged Lucy, Edmund and Eva went over to Aslan and bowed before him. Then Lucy came over and hugged him as she cried into his mane. She gave him a small kiss before walking over to the ocean.

"Will I come back?" Eustace asked Aslan.

"Narnia may yet have need of you," Aslan told him.

Eustace, Edmund, Eva, and Lucy began walking to the wave when they realized one person wasn't following.

"Aren't you coming, Elizabeth?" Lucy asked.

Elizabeth looked over at Aslan and then up at Caspian. "The thing is…I wish to stay here."

"What?"

"Lucy, darling…there's something you need to know about me." She looked to Caspian again, and he nodded at her. She turned back to the others. "Before I worked for your aunt and uncle…I worked for another family. And well…the father was very abusive towards me. He destroyed all my sense of self-worth, and I spent years thinking my life was unimportant. But after so long…Caspian has helped me to see otherwise. And for the first time, I know exactly what I want. I want to stay with the man I love."

Eustace slowly walked towards her. "Elizabeth…I am so very sorry. I didn't know. After you went through all that, and then I just…"

"It's okay. I forgive you."

"What are we supposed to tell Aunt Alberta and Uncle Harold?" Edmund asked.

Elizabeth smiled. "Tell them the truth. That I got transported to a magical land and fell in love with a man named Caspian."

The others let out small laughs at her joke.

Eustace ran up and hugged Elizabeth tightly. She was surprised, but she quickly hugged him back as she rubbed her hands over his hair. "Thank you," he said quietly. "For never giving up on me. I love you."

Elizabeth let out a surprised laugh and hugged him even tighter. "I love you too."

Edmund, Eva, and Lucy took turns hugging Elizabeth good-bye and then walked back to the wave.

Elizabeth walked back over to Caspian. He gently took her hand as she watched them go. She was sad that she had to leave them, but she was to serve a greater purpose as she became the new Queen of Narnia alongside Caspian.

Eustace, Edmund, Eva, and Lucy were submerged under the water as the wave closed over them. The water level began to decrease, and Edmund found himself sitting on the bed in Lucy's room again with Eva next to him. Lucy and Eustace ended up on the floor, and they watched as the water retreated back into the painting.

"Eustace!" Alberta called. "Eustace! What are you doing up there? Jill Pole's dropped in for a visit!"

Edmund, Eva, and Lucy looked at one another sadly. It didn't seem fair that their time in Narnia had come to an end. And it felt so strange to be here without Elizabeth. They already missed her, Caspian, Aslan, and everyone else they had become so close to.

Eustace took the painting and hung it back up on the wall. Edmund took Eva's hand and they all began to leave the room to go back to their lives in London.

The ship in the painting sailed away until it was out of sight.

Eva looked at the others. "Wait until Peter, Elaine, and Susan hear about this."


End file.
